YORK, PA – The Spartan softball squad made their 2022 home debut and their MAC Commonwealth opener on Saturday afternoon against Alvernia University. The Golden Wolves earned a 7-6 win in the opener but the Spartans bounced back with a 9-1 win in the nightcap.
The two teams were both playing their first games since last Saturday which was the final game on their respective spring trips.
 
Records: York 4-3 (1-1 MACC); Alvernia 4-4 (1-1 MACC)
Game One
Runs: York 6, Alvernia 7
Hits: York 8, Alvernia 8
Errors: York 0, Alvernia 0
WP: Maggie Loomis (4-2); LP: Hannah Vogt (2-2); Save: Emma Kropkowski (1)
 
How It Happened
• The Golden Wolves struck for a run early as a pair of walks set the stage for the uprising. Devan Hudson lashed a double to right center to score the first run of the game. Spartan starter Hannah Vogt was able to get a pair of strikeouts to strand runners at second and third.
• The Spartans loaded the bases in the bottom of the first with no outs. Daphney Adams drew a walk to force in York's first run. Emma Wade then grounded out to first to plate the second run of the frame. After a walk, Vogt grounded out to second to score the Spartans' third run of the frame.
• The second and third innings were quiet but the Golden Wolves blew the game open with a six-run fourth inning. After a line out to open the inning, Alvernia got back to back singles followed by a walk to load the bases. Another walk plated a run followed by a Tara Tumasz RBI single up the middle. Another walk gave Alvernia a 4-3 lead. Alvernia pitcher Maggie Loomis helped her own cause with a three-run double to right center, pushing the lead to 7-3.
• The Spartans started a comeback in the sixth. Emily Netterville laced a one-out RBI double to right to cut the Spartan deficit to 7-4. Elle Meyer followed with an RBI double of her own and just like that, it was 7-5 with one out in the inning. The Spartans would load the bases with one out but Alvernia reliever Emma Kropkowski got out of the jam wth a pop out and fly out to left as the Green and White wasted a golden opportunity to draw even.
• The Spartans had another chance to capture the game in the seventh. Kaela Fritz began the inning with a double down the left field line. Vogt then doubled to score pinch runner Jordyn Woodling, cutting York's deficit to one with no outs in the inning. Emma Keller advanced Vogt to third as the tying run was 60 feet away. Unfortunately for York. Kropkowski got a pop up and a strikeout to end the game and earn the save.
 
Spartan Offensive Leaders
Elle Meyer: 1-for-4, 1 run, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 2B
Hannah Vogt: 1-for-2, 2 RBI, 2B
Emily Netterville: 1-for-1, 1 RBI, 2B
 
Spartan Pitching
Hannah Vogt: 3.2 IP, 4 hits, 7 ER, 5 K, 5 BB, 89 pitches
Elle Meyer: 3.1 IP, 4 hits, 0 runs, 1 K, 3 BB, 1 WP, 62 pitches
 
Game Two
Runs: York 9, Alvernia 1
Hits: York 10, Alvernia 1
Errors: York 1, Alvernia 0
WP: Taylor Lindsay (2-0); LP: Emma Kropkowski (0-2)
 
How It Happened
• The Golden Wolves threatened in the first with a pair of walks off Spartan starter Taylor Lindsay. Fortunately for the Spartans, Lindsay worked out of trouble and kept the Golden Wolves off the board.
• The Spartans could not have gotten off to a better start in the bottom of the first. After a fly out to start the frame, York got three straight singles from Natalie Decena, Alyssa Harhigh, and Daphney Adams to load the bases. A passed ball allowed Decena to score to open up the scoring. Emma Wade then made it 2-0 with an RBI ground out to short. Emily Netterville drove in the third run of the inning with an RBI single to right. After a walk, Emma Keller singled to right to score Netterville making it 4-0 York. Morgan Sauers added the final two runs of the inning with a two-run double to left center. York sent 10 hitters to the plate, scoring six on six hits.
• After Lindsay breezed through the second, the Spartans tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the inning. York loaded the bases as Decena walked, Harhigh singled and Adams singled. Wade scored Decena on a sacrifice fly to center. Lindsay then helped her own cause with a two-run double down the left field line to make it 9-0.
• Those nine runs would be more than enough for Lindsay as she carried a no-hitter into the top of the fifth. Alvernia's Julie Burkhardt broke up the no hitter with a no doubt about it single to left to open the fifth. Lindsay got a little erratic with her control in the fifth as she walked three to allow the Golden Wolves to break up the shutout but the Spartans were able to close out the game in five innings.
 
Spartan Offensive Leaders
Alyssa Harhigh: 2-for-3, 2 runs
Emily Netterville: 2-for-3, 1 run, 1 RBI
Taylor Lindsay: 1-for-1, 1 run, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 2B
Emma Keller: 2-for-2, 1 run, 1 RBI
Morgan Sauers: 1-for-3, 2 RBI, 2B
 
Spartan Pitching
Taylor Lindsay: 5.0 IP, 1 hit, 1 ER, 4 K, 6 BB, 93 pitches
 
Spartan Notes
The Spartans are now 6-7 all-time against Alvernia as York had lost three straight before the game two win … York struck out just a combined four times in the two games while they drew 11 walks in the two contests … game one featured a combined 14 walks and one hit batter between the two pitching staffs … game two featured 11 combined walks in the four and a half innings of action … York's defense was much better in the two games as they made just one miscue after entering the day having 12 errors in their first five games of the year … York's five doubles in game one set a season high … the Spartans had ten hits in game two and that's the fourth game this year with double figures in hits … senior Taylor Lindsay improved to 2-0 with her second complete game of the year as she now has an ERA of 1.11 … the Spartan pitching staff has now walked more hitters (28) than they have struck out (25) … conversely, the Spartan offense has drawn more walks (35) than they have struck out (25) … freshman Emma Wade drove in three more runs in the two game as she leads the squad with 10 RBI for the year.
 
Up Next
The Spartans return to action on Tuesday afternoon as they host #21 Gettysburg College in a non-conference twin bill. Game one is set for a 3:00 pm first pitch from Spartan Stadium.