EDINBORO, Pa. (April 17, 2016) – Hosting a local rival for a second consecutive day, the Fighting Scots used dominant pitching and defense to post a doubleheader sweep of Mercyhurst in the final doubleheader of four twinbills in four days. Edinboro shut out the Lakers in both contests, winning 2-0 in game one and 4-0 in game two to record the sweep. With the sweep, the Fighting Scots improve to 11-17 overall and 5-9 in the PSAC West while Mercyhurst dropped to 11-17 overall and 4-12 in Western play.
The Fighting Scots will return to action at Gierlak Gardens on Tuesday, April 19, hosting Seton Hill for a makeup doubleheader. First pitch for that contest is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
Game One – Edinboro 2, Mercyhurst 0After recording a complete game victory in yesterday's doubleheader against Gannon, freshman pitcher
Carley Nasca picked up right where she left off in Sunday's opening contest. The freshman tossed a complete game shutout, giving up just three hits while striking out three Lakers and walking one. Nasca improved to 5-6 with the win, notching her second straight victory. During a stretch in the middle innings, Nasca set down nine straight batters before putting a Laker on base with a walk.
Carley Nasca threw a three-hit shutout in game oneThe Fighting Scots got on the scoreboard early, jumping out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. After
Kylie Mason led off with a single,
Haley Struebing advanced her to second on a sacrifice bunt to allow
Olivia Jankowski to bring her home with an RBI single.
With bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth following singles from Mason, Struebing and a Jankowski walk, the Fighting Scots scored their second run of the day on a passed ball to give Nasca a 2-0 cushion.
Nasca gave up just one hit in the final two innings while striking out the final batter of the day to preserve the victory.
Heather Nye took the loss for Mercyhurst to drop her to 3-8 on the year. Nye gave up six hits and two runs while walking one and striking out three.
Jankowski finished the first game 2-for-2 with the lone RBI, while Mason finished 2-for-3 and came across home both times for the Fighting Scots.
Game Two – Edinboro 4, Edinboro 0Sticking with what worked, head coach
Dan Gierlak turned to another freshman arm to start in the circle for the Fighting Scots in game two. Making her first career start, freshman
Amanda Metz tossed a five-hit complete game shutout as she recorded her first career victory to improve to 1-0. Metz set down the first eight Laker batters of game two before surrendering her first hit in the bottom of the third.
The Fighting Scots scored the first two runs of the contest in the home half of the third to take a 2-0 lead. Following a
MaryLouise Lindner walk,
Kylie Mason advanced the runner to second with a sacrifice bunt.
Haley Struebing singled to left field to bring Linder home and
Olivia Jankowski returned the favor, tripling to right field to score Struebing.
Taylor Payne led off the bottom of the fourth with a double and advanced to third on a passed ball. After
Theresa Fleckenstein reached first after being hit by a pitch,
Heather Tighe singled through the gap to score Payne from third and give Edinboro a 3-0 lead.
Edinboro added an insurance run in the next inning as Jankowski cashed in Struebings leadoff triple to give the Fighting Scots a 4-0 cushion.
Haley Struebing was 2-for-3 with a RBI and a triple Mercyhurst led off the top of the sixth with a Rachel DiBartolomeo single, but Mason made a reaching catch on an Allison Yule liner and threw out DiBartolomeo at first from her shortstop position to complete the double play.
The Lakers put runners on first and second in the top of the seventh inning, but Metz was able to hold off the rally and secure the victory.
Portia McBride received the loss for the Lakers, dropping her record to 1-3.
Both Struebing and Jankowski finished the second game going 2-for-3 with a triple. Struebing accounted for one RBI while Jankowski brought home two.
