FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The York College softball team got
off to a blistering start on Friday at the Methodist University
Early Bird Tournament. The tournament, which was condensed to a one
day event with very wet conditions forecasted for Saturday, saw the
Spartans defeat Division II Goldey Beacom 5-0 in the opener,
followed by a 4-3 win over Methodist. York then shutout Roanoke 4-0
and concluded the long day with another 4-3 win over Methodist.
In the season opening win over Goldey-Beacom, the Spartans
jumped out to the lead in the top of the second as Sam
Lawrence (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) jacked a solo homer to
left. The Spartans extended the lead to 2-0 as Lawrence went yard
again but this time it was an inside-the-park homer in the fourth.
York got their final three runs in the top of the fifth as
Julie Norris (Frederick, Md./Frederick) singled to
lead off the frame. Pinch hitter Desiree Halaka
(Southampton, N.Y./Southampton) then singled to put
runners at first and second. Freshman second baseman Meghan
Van Meter (Hanover, Md./Archbishop Spalding) then made her
first collegiate hit a memorable one as she launched a three-run
homer to left-center, giving York the 5-0 lead.
That would be more than enough for freshman hurler
Brittany Therres (Hughesville, Md./Thomas Stone)
as she twirled a five-hit shutout in earning her first collegiate
win. Therres went the distance allowing four singles and a double
while she struck out one and did not walk a batter. Heather Draper
took the loss for Goldey-Beacom as she allowed five runs on nine
hits with four strikeouts and no walks. She falls to 0-1 with the
loss.
Offensively, Lawrence was 2-for-2 with two runs scored and two
RBI as she had her first collegiate multi-homer game. Van Meter was
1-for-3 with three RBI and a run scored while Norris was 2-for-3 in
her Spartan debut.
Caitlin Cavanaugh had Goldey-Beacom's lone extra base hit
with her two-out double in the sixth inning.
The Spartans then squared off against the host Monarchs. York
took the lead with single runs in the first and second innings. In
the first, preseason All-American Kelly Smith (Riverdale,
Md./St. Vincent Pallotti) stroked a triple to right before
riding home on a Sam Koehl (Frederick, Md./Gov. Thomas
Johnson) double to left. In the second, Michelle
Barwick (Cockeysville, Md./Dulaney) singled to left with
one out. Barwick advanced to second on a Halaka ground out before
scoring on a Van Meter single to left.
The Monarchs reached Koehl, the Spartans' starter, for
three runs in the fifth. The Monarchs had loaded the bases in the
second but Koehl was able to work out of trouble. She wasn't
so lucky in the fifth as the Monarchs opened the inning with
back-to-back singles. After a pop up and a force out at third, Sara
Poling banged out a double to left center, scoring the
Monarchs' first run. Kenzie Maloney then drove in the other
two runs with a single to left center as the Monarchs took the 3-2
lead.
York tied the game in the bottom of the sixth as pinch hitter
Kristen Gray (Mickleton, N.J./Kingsway Regional)
walked to open the frame. Caitlin Keppler (Owings,
Md./Northern), reentering the game and running for Gray,
advanced to second on Barwick's bunt single. Keppler then
moved to third on a fielder's choice before scoring on a Van
Meter single to right, tying the game at three. The Spartans left
the bases loaded as they could not break the tie in the sixth.
The Spartans then recorded the win in the seventh as Lawrence
opened the frame with a single to center. She stole second and then
moved to third on a passed ball. She came around to score when
Keppler singled to left, winning the game for the Green and White
in walk-off style.
Koehl earned the win as she allowed three runs on nine hits with
a strikeout and no walks. Emily Beck suffered the loss for
Methodist as she allowed four runs on 10 hits with three walks and
three strikeouts. She falls to 1-2 for the year.
The Spartans then faced off with Roanoke in their third game of
the day. The Spartans opened the scoring in the fourth as
Koehl singled up the middle to open the inning. Lawrence followed
with a single of her own to put runners at first and second with no
outs. After a fly out, Barwick singled to score Koehl before
Lawrence scored on a Keppler ground out to short.
The Spartans struck for two more runs in the fifth as
Heather Bormann (Brick, N.J./Brick Memorial)
singled to third. She came around to score when Smith launched a
triple to right center. Smith touched the dish after Koehl grounded
out to second, giving the Spartans a 4-0 lead.
That would be more than enough for Therres as she twirled her
second shutout of the day. Therres scattered five hits with three
strikeouts and no walks as she tossed 14 innings in the tournament
allowing no runs and 10 hits as she has gotten off to an amazing
start for the Green and White. Clarissa Norwich absorbed the loss
for the Maroons as she allowed four runs on eighth hits with four
strikeouts and no walks in six innings of action.
Smith led the Spartans with two hits, an RBI and a run scored.
Koehl was 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored while Bormann and
Lawrence were each 1-for-3 with a run scored.
Sarah Caudle and Norwich each had a double for the Maroons.
In the final game of the marathon day, the Spartans again struck
first as Bormann singled and moved to second on a fielding error by
the left fielder. She moved to third on a Smith single and scored
when she stole home.
Koehl helped her own cause in the third inning as she jacked a
two-run homer to center, scoring Bormann, who had walked, giving
York a 3-0 lead.
The Monarchs trimmed the Spartan lead to 3-2 on a pair of
unearned runs in the sixth but the Spartans answered with a key
insurance run in the top of the seventh as Gray drew another pinch
hit walk. Kelly Morrow (Olney, Md./Sherwood) pinch
ran and moved to second on a wild pitch, to third on a ground out
and scored on a wild pitch.
The Monarchs looked like they were going to salvage a split
against the Spartans in the seventh as they opened the frame with
back-to-back doubles to draw to within 4-3. Koehl got a sacrifice
bunt that moved the tying run to third. After a walk to put the
winning run at first, she got a pop foul and a fielder's
choice to earn her second win of the day.
Koehl allowed three runs, just one earned, on eight hits with
four strikeouts and two walks in seven innings of work. Lesley
Hewitt suffered the loss as she allowed three runs, two earned, in
five innings of work. She surrendered four hits and recorded two
strikeouts while she walked one. Alex Bass tossed the final two
innings as she allowed a run on a hit and two walks while she also
had a pair of strikeouts.
Bormann led the Spartan offense as she was 2-for-2 with two
walks while Koehl was 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored. Smith
and Lawrence had the other hits for the Spartans.
Crystal Metzger and Tabatha Stephenson each had two hits to pace
the Monarch offense.
The Spartans are now off until Monday, March 2 when they begin
their 10-game stay at the Rebel Games in Kissimee, FL. The Spartans
play Eastern University at 11:00 am followed by a 3:00 pm game
against Eastern Mennonite.
GAME BOXES
GAME 1 vs.
Goldey-Beacom
GAME 2 vs.
Methodist
GAME 3 vs.
Roanoke
GAME 4 vs.
Methodist
