CLERMONT, Fla. – The Neumann University Softball team dropped a 6-4 decision against Bethany Lutheran College before defeating Bluffton University by a final score of 5-4 as the spring break trip continued on Wednesday.
With two outs in the first,
Taylor Vaugh reached first on a fielder's choice then stole second.
Dakota Marshall followed with a single up the middle, moving Vaugh to third.
Bella Morales plated the game's first run on a grounder that scored Vaugh for a 1-0 lead. Bethany Lutheran answered in the bottom of the inning with a solo home run.
After the second and third innings were scoreless, the Vikings put up two runs in the fourth on a two-run double down the right field line. In the fifth,
Natalie Jairdullo led off with a double into left-center. With one away,
Cioni Simmons moved her to third on an infield hit and stole second. Vaugh placed down a bunt and the throw to first got away, allowing Jairdullo and Simmons to score, and her to advance to third. Marshall followed with a sacrifice bunt to plate Vaugh for a 4-3 Neumann lead.
Bethany Lutheran turned the game in their favor in the sixth, picking up a run on an RBI single, and two runs on an error for the 6-4 lead. Although the Knights got the tying run to the plate in the seventh, they could not convert the comeback.
Simmons finished 2-for-4 with a steal and a run scored.
Ang Sannicandro started the game in the circle and allowed just one run over three innings.
Courtney McKenna went two innings and allowed two runs.
Marina Costello took the loss, pitching the sixth inning.
In the second game, Bluffton got out to a 3-0 lead on a two-run single and an RBI double in the first inning. In the bottom of the inning,
Rylie Norris led off and reached on a bad throw. Two batters later,
Ellie Zarnawski singled to third and Costello walked to load the bases. Rebecco DiLeo hit a sharp line drive to right to plate Norris on the sacrifice and
Jenna Calchi singled to right to score Zarnawski, pulling Neumann within one.
The bottom of the second inning started with
Kayla Naylor walking and reaching second on a wild pitch. Norris singled to advance Naylor to third and
Emily Ammon knocked her in on an RBI groundout, moving Norris to third. Zarnawski drove her in as she ripped a double to the left centerfield gap, giving Neumann the lead at 4-3.
In the fourth, DiLeo, Calchi, and
Emily Miller loaded the bases on an error and two singles. With two outs, Norris hit a dribbler up the third base line that was misplayed and Calchi scored to make it a two-run advantage. Bluffton got back within one in the sixth on an RBI single, but Neumann's pitching secured the win.
Zarnawski led the Knights, hitting 3-for-4 with a double, a run batted in, and a run scored. Calchi went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run as Norris contributed two runs and a stolen base to the cause. DiLeo went the distance for the win in the circle. In seven innings, she allowed four runs on seven hits and two walks, and she fanned one.
Neumann (3-5) will close out the trip on Thursday when they take on Massachusetts' Emmanuel College at 10:00 AM, and Alvernia University at 12:15 PM.
