ERIE, Pa. – The Mercyhurst University softball team was defeated twice Wednesday afternoon against Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division foe Edinboro. The Lakers (10-20, 4-11 PSAC) fell in game one, 4-2, while the Fighting Scots (14-7-1, 6-5-1 PSAC) pulled away late in game two, winning, 8-4.
After falling behind early, 4-0, after three and half innings, Mercyhurst would begin to cut into the deficit, scoring runs in the bottom half of the third and fourth.
Rachel DiBartolomeo would lead off the bottom half of the third by hitting a solo homerun over the right field fence. It was her third homerun of the season.
Taylor Jezuit, then, started off the fourth, hitting a double to left field. After Jezuit advanced to third on a passed ball,
Cassandra Egelston would bring her home as she hit an RBI single to right field. Egelston's RBI single, her third of the season, cut the Edinboro lead in half, 4-2.
However, the Lakers would only muster two hits in the final three innings, to fall in game one, 4-2.
Alissa Petrosoniak and Jezuit both recorded multi-hit games.
Kerri Stevens (4-2) earned the win, while
Annie Truelove (4-10) received the loss.
With two on and no outs, Edinboro would strike first in game two with an RBI single to left field from Shelby Proctor. The Fighting Scots continued to threaten to break open the lead, but Truelove got herself out of a no out, bases loaded jam. She retired the next three batters she faced, striking out Jessica Hyland to end the inning.
Mercyhurst would answer in the bottom half of the inning, scoring one run on three consecutive hits with two outs. DiBartolomeo started the two out rally, hitting a single to right field. Petrosoniak would follow with a single of her own before
Becky Malaga drove a double to left field that scored DiBartolomeo from second.
Edinboro would add three runs in the fourth and one in the fifth, to take a 5-1 lead into the bottom half of the fifth. Egelston started off the inning with a double to left field, while Petrosoniak and Malaga both followed with singles.
Courtney Brothers would then hit a groundball to second, allowing Egelston to score from third for her eighth RBI of the season.
With the Fighting Scots holding a 5-2 lead into the seventh, they would pile on three more runs in the final frame. After a walk and two hit batsmen, Edinboro's Kylie Mason was able to generate a double to left field, clearing the bases for an 8-2 advantage.
The Lakers wouldn't quite, scoring two runs in the bottom of the seventh as Egelston drew a walk to leadoff off the inning, followed by a Petrosoniak single. Malaga would drive both runners in with a single to left field; however, it wasn't enough, with Mercyhurst coming up short, 8-4.
Game two saw the top three Laker batters bat 8-for-11 with eight of the 10 Mercyhurst hits, scoring two runs and driving in three runs. Malaga would record all three RBI's, while Petrosoniak went 3-for-3. Egelston finished 1-for-2 with two runs scored.
Samantha Weaver (2-1) received the win, while Kalet Lenart earned the save. Truelove (4-11) got the loss.
The Lakers will be back in action Friday, April 17, at home for another PSAC Western Division doubleheader against Clarion. First-pitch is slated for 2:30 p.m.
