Elmira Falls in Double-Header to LaGrange
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LaGrange, GA -- The Elmira College Softball team played in yet another pair of close games, but were unable to pick up a victory in their double-header with LaGrange College as the Soaring Eagles wrapped up their trip to Georgia with a 1-5 record. The Purple and Gold fell in the opening game 3-1 before dropping the second game 5-4, losing the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning.
EC was led offensively by newcomer
Emily Carlin '17 who went a combined 2-for-6 from the plate with her second home run of the season, a two-run shot in game two.
Ashley Palmer '16 also had a good day offensively, going 2-for-7 with three runs scored.
Alex Puglisi '14 and
Emilie Rogers '14 each made a start today. Puglisi pitched a total of eight innings in the two games giving up eight runs, two of which were earned. Rogers pitched four innings of one-hit ball in game two before being replaced by Puglisi with EC leading 2-0.
Game One Recap
Hits were hard to come by in the first game as the two teams combined for just eight hits in nearly seven full innings of play. LaGrange would get on the scoreboard first as they would put a three-spot up in the bottom of the second inning. Danielle Newbern reached on an error by
Katie Dore '15, one of two EC errors in the inning, and would score when the very next batter, Olivia Wolfe, singled to right field.
LaGrange loaded the bases with just one out and would push across another run after a passed ball. The very next batter, Amanda Morier, hit a sac fly to left field to score run number three before Puglisi struck out Kalin Oglesby to end the inning.
EC continued to try to manufacture runs, but they did not have many opportunities until the top of the fourth inning. Palmer reached on a fielding error by the Panthers' shortstop and would eventually make her way to third base after
Jacquelyn Heggie '16 hit into a fielder's choice.
Krystal Bupp '14 singled Palmer home to get the Soaring Eagles on the scoreboard, but that would be the only damage allowed as
Julianne Heggie '16 and Dore would both ground out to end the scoring opportunity.
Elmira had a couple more baserunners in the final three innings, but the women were unable to push them across the plate as LaGrange would seal the 3-1 victory.
Game Two Recap
The Soaring Eagles had a great opportunity in the top of the second inning to get on the scoreboard after a
Katie Day '16 single put runners on first and third. Unfortunately for EC, a fly out and a strike out would end the threat, stranding Carlin at third base.
The Purple and Gold would breakthrough and put up the first runs of the game after Carlin belted her second home run of the season in the top of the fourth inning. Her two-run shot came after Palmer led off the inning with a double and gave Elmira a 2-0 lead which they would hold through the bottom of the fourth.
LaGrange would rally, however, as they would push across three runs in the bottom of the fifth against Puglisi to take the lead. After Adrienne Little scored on a passed ball, Courtney Beshel would single home two runs, both unearned, to give the Panthers the 3-2 advantage.
EC would respond immediately as the Soaring Eagles retook the lead in the very next inning. Palmer led off the inning with a double and then advanced to third base after Carlin hit a single.
Mikayla Bean '14 would reach on an error by the shortstop, scoring Palmer to tie the game. The Soaring Eagles would load the bases with Dore stepping up to the plate. The junior singled up the third base line scoring Day and giving Elmira the 4-3 lead.
The Panthers would respond with two runs in the bottom of the sixth to make it a 5-4 game and LaGrange would hold off the EC attack in the top of the seventh to sweep the double-header.
The Purple and Gold will have some time to regroup before taking the field again as EC does not play again until Saturday, March 22nd when they host the Pennsylvania College of Technology Wildcats in a double-header.