FREDERICKSBURG, VA - The York College softball team split a key Capital Athletic Conference doubleheader on Monday afternoon in Fredericksburg, VA. The Eagles captured game one, 3-1, on a walk-off homer before the Spartans posted a 3-0 shutout in the nightcap.

The Spartans are now 17-7 overall and 3-1 in the CAC while the Eagles are now 20-9 overall and 7-1 in the conference.

The Spartans got on the board in the top of the first as Kelly Smith (Riverdale, Md./St. Vincent Pallotti) walked to lead off the game. She stole second, advanced to third on sacrifice bunt, and then scored on an RBI double to right center from designated hitter Kristen Gray (Mickleton, N.J./Kingsway Regional).

The game would be scoreless until the bottom of the seventh as the starting pitchers, York's Brittany Therres (Hughesville, Md./Thomas Stone) and Mary Washington's Kristen Rowell, were outstanding.

The Eagles began their game-winning rally in the bottom of the seventh as Morgan Lamon doubled to start the frame. She scored when Elizabeth Crowe doubled to left, scoring Lamon, tying the game at one. The Spartans' turned to Sam Koehl (Frederick, Md./Gov. Thomas Johnson) to try to get out of the seventh tied. Kaitlin Petrella promptly greeted Koehl with a two-run homer to give the Eagles the walk-off win.

Rowell earned the win to improve to 15-2 overall. She tossed a complete game, allowing one run on two hits with four walks and six strikeouts.

Therres suffered the hard-luck loss as she allowed two runs on four hits with three strikeouts and no walks. Therres falls to 8-4 with the setback.

Petrella led the Eagle offense as she was 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored. Lamon had two hits and a run scored while Crowe was 1-for-3 with an RBI.

The Spartans had just two hits for the game as Gray was 1-for-3 with an RBI while Caitlin Keppler (Owings, Md./Northern) had York's other hit, a lead-off single in the sixth.

Game two was much more to the Spartans' liking as Gray got the Green and White on the board with a two-run double to centerfield in the top of the first, scoring Heather Bormann (Brick, N.J./Brick Memorial) and Koehl to put the Spartans up early.

That turned out to be enough for Koehl as she twirled a seven-hit shutout. She struck out five and did not walk a batter as she improved to 9-3 overall. The shutout was her fourth white washing of the year.

Nicole Foster suffered the loss as she allowed two runs on five hits in just 1.2 innings of work. Rowell relieved Foster and allowed a run on four hits in 5.1 innings of action.

The Spartans added an insurance run in the seventh as Megan Van Meter (Hanover, Md./Archbishop Spalding) tripled and scored when Smith reached on an error.

Van Meter led the Spartans as the freshman went 3-for-3 with a run scored. Gray was 1-for-4 with two RBI while Smith was 1-for-4 with an RBI of her own.

Lamon led the Eagles as she was 2-for-3 with a double while Ashley Davenport had the Eagles' other extra base hit, a third inning double.

The Spartans return to action on Tuesday afternoon when they travel to Gallaudet University in a CAC double dip. Game one is slated to start at 3:00 pm.

GAME ONE BOX

GAME TWO BOX

Photo: Megan Van Meter went 3-for-3 in game two of Monday's twin bill