MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Medaille College softball team had another 2-0 day at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic. In an exciting nine-inning game, the Mavericks got the win over the Mansfield Mounties 3-2. They won their second game of the day against the Lycoming Warriors 5-2.
Game One
After a two-hour delay due to rainy conditions the day before, the Mavericks and Mounties finally faced off. It was a tight 0-0 ballgame up until the last few innings.
Gabrielle Presutti (Williamsville, NY, Williamsville South) got on base right away in the first inning, but a double-play from the Mounties and a ground out put a stop to their offense. The Mounties reached first in the bottom of the first on a single, but also could not reach the plate.
At the top of the fifth, it looked like the Mavs were on to something.
Shay Sommer (Grand Island, NY, Grand Island) led off with a single up the middle.
Camryn Adimey (Lakeview, NY, Frontier) singled right after to put runners on first and second. Sommer managed to reach third on a fielding error, but the next batter up struck out to end the inning.
The Mounties finally scored the first run of the game in the sixth inning. The lead-off batter was hit by a pitch and awarded first base. A ground out moved her over to second. After a pinch runner was called in, they hit a single up the middle to score the runner from second. The Mavs had to answer back.
Sommer got everything started in the seventh inning. She singled to right field, continuing her hot streak. She headed over to second on a passed ball.
Kylie Lyons (Olean, NY, Olean) came up clutch, and knocked one out to centerfield, and Sommer found her way home. The Mavericks did what they had to do! The Mounties had no answer in the bottom of the inning, and they were headed to the eighth inning.
April Chambers (Lockport, NY, Starpoint - Niagara CCC) was the last batter, so she was headed to second for the international tie-breaker. Presutti was up first and attempted to bunt her over, but couldn't get one in fair territory. She hit to third base, and Chambers was tagged out trying to get there.
Sidney Cooper (Elmira, NY, Thomas Edison) came up next, but hit it straight to the second baseman and she and Presutti were out on the double-play. They needed to hold off the Mounties. Their last out was placed on second, and they were successful getting the bunt down. She was thrown out, and the runner advanced to third.
Alexis Alguire (Forestville, NY, Forestville) won the battle with the next batter and struck her out swinging, earning the Mavs their second out. Alguire hit her spots and forced a grounder to Presutti at shortstop, and they held off the Mounties. It was off to inning number nine.
This time, Cooper was headed to second for the tie-breaker.
Abbigail Doherty (Clarence, NY, Clarence) laid down a perfect bunt, and the third baseman made a wild throw for Doherty to advance to second, and Cooper to score. The Mavs had the lead with no outs. Lyons came up clutch for the second time, hitting another single up the middle. Doherty made her way home. The Mavs were headed into the bottom half of the inning sitting on a two-run lead. The Mounties placed their last out on second, and started the inning swinging. The first batter grounded out to Lyons at second, and advanced the runner to third. Their next batter flew out to
Audra Marley (Watervliet, NY, Shaker) in left field for the sacrifice fly to score the runner on third. That one didn't matter for the Mavs. They just needed one more out. Alguire kept hitting her spots, and forced a final grounder to Cooper at third, and they got her. The Mavs won in an exciting game over a Division II team, 3-2!
Game leaders for the Mavericks were Lyons going 2-4 with two RBI's, Sommer going 2-4 with one run scored, and Alguire who pitched all nine innings earning the win. She allowed four hits with one huge strikeout.
Game Two
Coming off of the exciting win over Mansfield, the Mavericks were carrying their momentum over to game two. The first inning would have been a 1-2-3 inning, but a slip in right field scored the Warriors first run of the game. That fueled the Mav's offense. Presutti got it going with a hard single down the left field line. Cooper made her way to second on an error, and Doherty was walked. The bases were loaded with no outs. Sommer did the same, and Presutti made her way across the plate. Lyons stayed hot and singled to right center to score Doherty and Sommer. They answered with three runs to give them a 3-1 lead.
Things died down until the fourth inning. The Warriors led-off with a double to left field. A ground-out would move the runner to third, and another one would score her. They were only down by one.
The Mavs finished it off in the bottom of the fifth inning. Doherty drove a hard ball through the left side for a single. Sommer came up next and bounced one off of the left field fence for a double. Doherty crossed the plate off of that one. Adimey singled to short while Sommer made her way to third. Lyons found right center again, and Sommer made her way home. The Mavericks finished the day with a 5-2 win over Lycoming.
Game leaders for the Mavericks were Lyons going 2-3 with three RBI's, Doherty going 2-3 with two runs scored, and Sommer going 1- 2 with two RBI's and two runs scored.
Kaitlyn Alguire (Forestville, NY, Forestville) was credited with the win on the mound for the Mavs. She allowed six hits while getting four strikeouts.
The Mavs will play their final two games of the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic on Friday, March 18. They will play Keystone at 1:30 p.m. and Morrisville at 3:30 p.m.
