SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. (April 14, 2016) - The Edinboro University softball team finally returned to the field this afternoon in Slippery Rock after mother nature caused the Fighting Scots to have more than a week long layover since their last outing. Like the recent weather, the scores of the doubleheader were unpredictable. After game one of the makeup doubleheader saw a combined 30 runs scored as Slippery Rock won in five innings, 20-10, The Rock prevailed in the nightcap by a score of 7-5. Edinboro is now 8-14 overall and 2-6 in the PSAC West while Slippery Rock improved to 16-15 overall and an even 5-5 in the West.
The Fighting Scots will be right back in action tomorrow, April 15, hosting #10 California (Pa.) in the home opener. Friday's twinbill will be the first of three straight doubleheaders at Gierlak Gardens this weekend as Edinboro will play host to local rivals Gannon and Mercyhurst on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
Game One - Slippery Rock 20, Edinboro 10Theresa Fleckenstein's offensive capability was on full display in the opening game of the doubleheader on Thursday afternoon. The junior was 4-for-4 with two doubles and a career-high five RBIs. Fleckenstein began the high-scoring affair in the top of the first inning, knocking a two-run single into right field to give the Fighting Scots a 2-0 lead.
The Rock answered swiftly, bringing home six runs in the bottom half inning to take control of the game at 6-2. The highlight of the inning came as Slippery Rock's Lauren Hawley hit a grand slam to bring in four runs.
Brooke Callaghan had three RBIs in game twoEdinboro began to chip away at the lead in the very next inning as
Jessica Hyland drew a leadoff walk and eventually came around to score following an error in left field. The Rock, however, began to separate themselves again in the bottom half inning, generating another six-run inning to take a 12-3 lead.
Fleckenstein drove in her third run of the game in the bottom of the third as she doubled to left field to score leadoff batter
Brooke Callaghan who reached on a single to center. After walks by
Heather Tighe and
MaryLouise Lindner,
Claire Johnston drew a bases loaded walk to make the score 12-5.
Slippery Rock added a two-run homerun in the bottom of the third to build the lead back up to 14-5, but once again Edinboro continued to fight as Fleckenstein drove in Callaghan again to draw the score to 14-6. Katie Kaiser homered in the bottom of the fourth for The Rock to increase the lead to 15-6, but Edinboro wasn't done yet.
After a leadoff single by
MaryLouise Lindner,
Danna Heh reached first on an error followed by an
Olivia Jankowski single to load the bases. A string of four straight RBIs capped off by RBI-doubles from
Kylie Mason and Fleckenstein closed the gap to 15-10.
Haley Struebing began the stretch for the Fighting Scots, followed by a Callaghan sacrifice fly.
Unfortunately, The Rock answered with a big inning of their own, scoring five runs, capped off by a three-run home run to end the game in the bottom of the fifth.
Kerri Stevens got the start in the circle and received the loss for Edinboro, putting her record at 2-4 on the season. Brooke Dawson recorded the win for The Rock, pitching 2.2 innings, giving up four hits walking six batters.
Game Two - Slippery Rock 7, Edinboro 5After playing catch-up for much of the opening game, the Fighting Scots held the lead for much of the second contest. Following a MaryLouise Linder walk,
Danna Heh doubled to center field to give the Fighting Scots a 1-0 in the top of the second inning.
Carley Nasca got the start in the circle, holding The Rock to just one hit through the first three innings. Slippery Rock knotted the game up at one in the bottom of the fourth, scoring an unearned run on a throwing error.
The Fighting Scots wasted little time regaining the lead, as
Haley Struebing cashed in on back-to-back singles from Linder and Heh with an RBI single to right center.
Brooke Callaghan followed up with an RBI of her own, scoring Heh from third to give Edinboro a 3-1 lead.
Nasca continued her strong performance in the bottom half inning, holding The Rock to just one hit as the Fighting Scots took their 3-1 lead into the sixth inning.
After a one-two-three Edinboro half inning to begin the sixth, Slippery Rock scored six runs to take a 7-3 lead. The Fighting Scots would have three more outs in the top of the seventh and drew to within just two runs as Callaghan hit a two-run double to center field to bring the tying run to the plate. Unfortunately, the Fighting Scots were unable to capitalize as The Rock held on to win a close one.
