FREDERICK, Md. – The York College softball team split the twin bill with Hood College in Frederick, Md. on Tuesday. The Spartans scored five first-inning runs to cruise past the Blazers 5-0 in the first game before dropping the second 5-3, despite hitting three home runs. Freshman Ginger Lewis shutout the Blazers in the first game, on six hits.

Records:
York (Pa.): 10-6
Hood: 9-4

Game One Stats
Runs: York 5 / Hood 0
Hits: York 7 / Hood 6
Errors: York 0 / Hood 1
Left on Base: York 5 / Hood 7

York Offensive Leaders
Haley Hirn: 1-for-2, 2 RBI, run scored

Savannah Zittle: 2-for-4, run scored
Katelyn Mehrling: 1-for-3, RBI, run scored

Ashley Werner: 1-for-3, RBI, run scored

Joanna Marmo: 1-for-4, run scored

Hood Offensive Leaders
Kristy Erfurdt: 3-for-3
Jess Sedgwick: 1-for-3

Sophia Leaman: 1-for-3

Spartan Pitching Leaders
Ginger Lewis: 7.0 IP, 6 hits, 5 K, BB (Win, 2-3)

Hood Pitching Leaders
Kayli Paugh: 7.0 IP, 7 hits, 5 runs, 4 earned runs, 4 K, 3 BB

How It Happened
• The opening inning proved to be all York needed in order to grab a win in Frederick, Md. The Spartans plated five in the top of the first on five hits to jump out to an early 5-0 lead. Savannah Zittle opened proceedings with a single to second, and she advanced to second when Katie Maloney laid down a sacrifice bunt. Joanna Marmo was next, and she blasted a double to center field, but Zittle was unable to score, holding up at third. Carleigh Ruleman was walked to load the bases for Haley Hirn. Hirn stepped up to the opportunity, singling through the middle and driving in both Zittle and Marmo. Ruleman moved to second, setting up a first and second, with one out situation for Katelyn Mehrling. Mehrling also doubled, this time down the left field line, scoring Ruleman. To continue the momentum, Ashley Werner singled through the right side, driving in Hirn. Mehrling advanced to third and then scored on a fielding error, giving York the five-run advantage.

• Freshman pitcher Ginger Lewis gave up just one hit in each of the first two innings. She was in a sticky situation in the bottom of the third, with two runners on and just one out. But, she settled down and got a hitter to pop up and strike out, ending the inning. Lewis gave up just two hits in the remaining four innings to shut out the Blazers. York recorded just two hits in the final six innings, but the explosion of offense in the first was enough to propel them past Hood.

Game Two Stats
Runs: York 3 / Hood 5
Hits: York 4 / Hood 7
Errors: York 1 /Hood 1
Left on Base: York 1 / Hood 5

York Offensive Leaders
Carleigh Ruleman: 1-for-3, RBI, run scored
Haley Hirn: 1-for-3, RBI, run scored
Katelyn Mehrling: 1-for-3, RBI, run scored

Hood Offensive Leaders
Kayli Paugh: 2-for-3, 3 RBI, run scored
Jess Sedgwick: 1-for-2, run scored
Sophia Leaman: 1-for-3, RBI, run scored

Spartan Pitching Leaders
Katelyn Mehrling: 2.1 IP, 3 hits, 2 runs, 1 earned run, BB (Loss, 2-1)

Melissa Jurkiewicz: 3.0 IP, 4 hits, 3 runs, 3 earned runs, BB

Ginger Lewis: 0.2 IP, 0 hits

Hood Pitching Leaders
Sophia Leaman: 7.0 IP, 4 hits, 3 runs, 3 earned runs, 4 K

How It Happened
• This time it was the Blazers who were able to jump out to an early lead in their first at-bats. Kayli Paugh singled to score Kristen Scott. Hood had the bases loaded, but Kately Mehrling was able to get two consecutive hitters to ground into fielder's choices, ending the inning down just 1-0. The run was unearned after Scott advanced to second of a muffed throw.
• York, though, immediately answered with their first of three home runs in the game. With two outs, Mehrling drilled a homer to left center, helping her cause in the circle.

• Neither team could get anything moving until the bottom of the third when the Blazers scored two on a home run from Paugh, scoring Jess Sedgwick. Once again, the Spartans quickly responded. Carleigh Ruleman, the all-time leader in home runs in York history, jacked a homer to center to cut the deficit in half. Haley Hirn kept a solid day at the plate going when she followed Ruleman with a solo shot of her own. The back-to-back home runs leveled the score again at 3-3.
• The score remained tied until the bottom of the sixth when Sophia Leaman homered to center field, the fifth homer of the game. The Blazers would add an insurance run with two outs on a sacrifice fly. This time, York didn't have the answer they had in previous innings, going down one-two-three in the top of the seventh.

SPARTAN NOTES:
York is now 10-1 when leading after four innings … the Spartans struck early in the first game, which is a good sign, now 7-0 when scoring in the first innings … York is also 9-2 when scoring first … Carleigh Ruleman is the program record-holder with now 23 home runs, her third of the year … Ruleman has 11 RBI, a team-best … Joanna Marmo's homer was her first of the year and her fifth of her young career … Marmo leads the team, hitting .444 on the year, going 20-for-45 thus far, with eight doubles, another team-best.

UP NEXT:
The Spartans return home to host Frostburg State in their CAC conference opener on Saturday. The doubleheader is set to start at 1 p.m. with the second of the twin bill coming at 3 p.m.