SALEM, Va. - The Edinboro University softball team opened the 2018 campaign at the Salem Tournament, falling to Lincoln Memorial, 9-0 and West Virginia Wesleyan, 6-5 on Friday at Moyer Field.
The Fighting Scots return to action on Saturday, playing in three contests. They will take to the mound against Shepherd at 10:00 a.m., Chowan at 2:00 p.m. and Concord at 6:00 p.m.
Game One – Lincoln Memorial 9, Edinboro 0 (5 innings)
Lincoln Memorial's Brianna Taylor improved to 5-4 on the season by pitching a five-inning perfect game against Edinboro. The Railsplitters who played in their 17th contest in the win over the Fighting Scots, did the majority of their damage in the first and third innings, respectively. They scored three runs in the bottom of the first, followed by five runs in the third inning and one in the fourth.
Emma Webb scored two runs for LMU, on 2-for-3 at the plate. Allie Jones also went 2-for-3. Bella Buccellato and Teddi Collins each had two RBI's for the Rattlesplitters. Each LMU player the had an at-bat accounted for a hit, a RBI or both.
Amanda Metz took the loss for Edinboro in the season opener. She completed 2.1 innings of work.
Game Two – West Virginia Wesleyan 6, Edinboro 5
West Virginia Wesleyan was the first team to get on the board, scoring a run in the bottom of the second inning. The Bobcats, who improved to 6-5 overall, scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and added two scores in the bottom of the fifth for a 6-0 advantage.
Edinboro started to rally in the top of the sixth, as the Fighting Scots cut the deficit in half to 6-3.
Danna Heh started the inning off with a single to shortstop, followed by a
Shannon Gilbert double to right field. That allowed Heh to reach third base.
After
Olivia Jankowski grounded out to third,
Rose Haggerty went into the game to pinch hit for
Roni Lipinski. In her first collegiate at-bat, Haggerty hit an RBI-single to center field, allowing Heh to score and moving Gilbert to within 60 feet of home plate.
Victoria Allocco brought both base runners home on her next at-bat. Her double to center field brought Gilbert and Haggerty, and split West Virginia Wesleyan's a
dvantage in half.
After reaching on an error and two walks, the Fighting Scots found themselves with runners on second and third base in the top of the seventh with one out. Jankowski shot an RBI-double to left center, which brought Abby Sallot and
Lauren Gierlak home.
Shannon Gilbert advanced to third base in the process, putting the tying run 60 feet from home plate. Unfortunately, she didn't get a chance to score, as Lipinski grounded out to second base and Allocco flied out to right field to end the game.
Gilbert went 2-for-3 and scored a run, while Heh connected on 2-of-3 at-bats and scored, as well. Jankowski and Allocco each led Edinboro with two RBI's apiece.
Krista Waggoner led the Bobcats going 2-for-2 at the plate for two scores. Hannah Vet got the win for West Virginia Wesleyan, improving to 4-0 overall. She pitched the full 7.0 innings, giving up five runs off eight hits. She also struck out four batters, walked two and had three errors.
