SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Extra innings have been nothing new for the Fighting Scots as they have gone into extra innings in one game in four of their last five doubleheaders. On Friday afternoon the Edinboro University softball team avenged an extra innings loss to Slippery Rock with a thrilling 11-inning victory in the day's opening contest before a strong pitching performance from Sam Weaver in the nightcap led the Fighting Scots to the sweep of The Rock.
With the sweep, the Fighting Scots snapped a seven-game losing streak to improve to 15-20 overall and 6-12 in the PSAC West. Edinboro also played spoiler as Friday's sweep eliminated Slippery Rock from postseason contention as The Rock are now 17-22 overall and 7-10 in conference play.
The Fighting Scots conclude their regular season tomorrow afternoon hosting local PSAC West rival Mercyhurst. Saturday's doubleheader is also senior day for Edinboro as they will honor nine departing seniors prior to the start of the first game. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.
Game One – Edinboro 5, Slippery Rock 4 (11 Inn.)
Edinboro wasted no time taking an early lead, taking advantage of a Slippery Rock miscue in the opening inning to open up a 2-0 lead.
Theresa Fleckenstein singled to left before advancing to third on back-to-back wild pitches.
Olivia Jankowski drew a walk and both runners came across to score on a wild pitch followed by a throwing error by the catcher.
The 2-0 lead stood until the bottom of the seventh inning as Emily Nagle's two-run single sent the contest to extra innings.
The Fighting Scots loaded the bases in the top of the eighth following back-to-back-to-back singles from
Claire Johnston,
Heather Tighe and
Jessica Hyland but a double play ended the inning for The Rock.
Both teams were set down in order in the ninth inning before Jankowski's RBI brought in
Emily Osterberg after she was placed on second to begin the inning to give Edinboro a 3-2 lead.
The Rock were able to take advantage of Edinboro's lone miscue in the contest, tying the game on a fielding error to send the game to an 11
th inning.
Lauren Gierlak was placed on second to open the 11
th inning and was subsequently advanced to third after a Tighe single. Following a dropped foul ball by the catcher, Hyland scored Gierlak with a sacrifice fly to give Edinboro a 4-3 lead before a
Brittany Allen sacrifice fly scored Tighe to make it 5-3.
The Rock were able to bring across one run in the bottom of the 11
th but the Fighting Scots held on for the thrilling victory.
Kalet Lenart (6-5) was strong in the victory, pitching all 11 innings. Lenart gave up four runs (two earned) on just seven hits and struck out five batters.
Paige Flore (0-5) remained winless on the year after suffering the loss in relief of starter Carly DeRose. Flore gave up three runs (one earned) on five hits and struck out one.
Heh, Jankowski and Tighe all finished the contest 2-for-4. Jankowski added an RBI and drew a walk.
Game Two – Edinboro 2, Slippery Rock 1
The Fighting Scots received another complete game victory from their starter as Sam Weaver (1-2) pitched a great seven full innings for Edinboro. Weaver gave up just one run on eight hits to notch her first victory of the season.
Edinboro was limited to just three hits in the ballgame, but the Fighting Scots made them count.
Danna Heh led off the opening inning with a single before stealing second and advancing to third on a Fleckenstein ground out.
Brooke Callaghan drove Heh in with an RBI single to right to give Edinboro a quick 1-0 lead.
Two innings later Slippery Rock knotted the contest up at 1-1 on a Caitlin Baxter RBI double in the bottom of the third.
In the top of the fifth the Fighting Scots recorded their third and final hit of the game as Hyland ripped a homerun to center which stood as the winning run.
Weaver allowed just three hits over the final four innings as the Fighting Scots held on for their second one-run victory of the day.
Brooke Dawson (11-8) took the loss for The Rock giving up two runs on three hits and striking out six batters in seven innings work.
