DAHLONEGA, Ga. – The Mercyhurst University softball team dropped a pair of games Saturday at the Captain D's Surf and Turf Classic in Dahlonega, Georgia. The Lakers (1-5) kicked off the day at 9:00 a.m. against McKendree (2-3) where they lost 8-7 in eight innings. Mercyhurst would come back to play the host team, #11 North Georgia, at 3:00 p.m. but fell 9-0 in six innings.
As the Lakers fell behind early, 4-0, after three innings, they knotted the game with a four run top of the fourth.
Annie Truelove knocked the first two runs in as she doubled down the right field line scoring
Kayla Larson and
Allison Yule.
Courtney Brothers would also drive in two runs off a single to left center as
Tawny Godin and Truelove came around to score.
McKendree would retake the lead in the bottom half of the fourth, but the Lakers came back strong scoring twice in the top of the fifth, to take their first lead of the game, 6-5. Yule powered a homerun over the center field fence for her first homerun of the year.
Liz Klussman would hit a triple in the bottom of the seventh to drive in the tying run. Truelove would hold the runner on third by forcing two batters to ground out and then, struck out the last batter looking to force extra innings.
In the eighth, Truelove drove in her third run of the day, singling to right center field. She drove in
Khyshwaunna Nance, who started the inning on second. However, McKendree's Kate Mayes doubled down the left field line to score two runs and give them the 8-7 victory.
Truelove finished the game pitching 7 and one-third, allowing 11 hits and seven earned runs. She also went two-for-three at the plate with 3 runs batted in (RBI). Yule finished three-for-four with two RBIs.
In game two, the Lakers were out hit 13-4 and could not generate a run against the 11th ranked team in the country.
Alexandra Puckly pitched all six innings, allowing 13 hits and nine runs. Yule Puckly each had two hits for Mercyhurst.Mercyhurst will be back in action tomorrow for day two of the classic. The Lakers will again lead off the day playing Wayne State at 9:00 a.m. Mercyhurst will face McKendree again at 1:00 p.m. to conclude the day.
