KISSIMMEE, FLORIDA – The York College softball squad closed out their 2023 Spring Trip to Kissimmee, Florida with a split against Husson and Illinois College.
The Spartans dropped a one-run decision to Husson, 3-2, before bouncing back with a 15-0 win over Illinois College in five innings.
In the win over Illinois, shortstop Alyssa Harhigh became the Spartans' all-time leader in RBI as she now has knocked in 124 runs for her career.
 
Game One vs. Husson
Records: York 3-4; Husson 6-5
Runs: York 2; Husson 3
Hits: York 7; Husson 6
Errors: York 1; Husson 1
WP: McKenna Smith (4-2); LP: Amanda Criss (1-2)
 
How It Happened
• The Eagles wasted little time in getting on the board as they got a Tori Exel RBI triple down the right field line after the Spartans extended the inning with a two-out error. Husson extended the lead to 3-0 with two runs in the third. Bulla McCabe drilled a two-run single to left center, driving in a pair to pad the Eagle lead.
• The Spartans got a pair of runners on in the fifth but Husson starter McKenna Smith to a pop up and a strikeout to end the threat. York got a run back in the sixth as Alyssa Harhigh was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. She stole second and moved to third on a passed ball. Harhigh then cruised home on a Daphney Adams doubled down the left field line, cutting the York deficit to 3-1.
• The Spartans tried to snag a victory in the seventh inning as they put together a rally. The inning started with a Taylor Coon single to right. After a pop up, Emma Keller drilled a double to right center, scoring Coon for York's second run of the day. Keller moved to third on a ground out and then Harhigh was hit by another pitch to put Spartans at the corners with two outs. The Eagles were able to get the final out and close out the one-run win for Husson.
 
Spartan Offensive Leaders
Morgan Sauers: 2-for-3
Daphney Adams: 1-for-4, 2B, RBI
Emma Keller: 1-for-4, 2B, RBI
Taylor Coon: 1-for-3, 1 run
 
Spartan Pitching
Amanda Criss: 6.0 IP, 6 hits, 3 runs, 2 ER, 6 K, 1 BB, 1 HBP
 
Game Two vs. Illinois College
Records: York 4-4; Illinois 3-9
Runs: York 15; Illinois 0
Hits: York 16; Illinois 2
Errors: York 0; Illinois 0
WP: Natalie Rietema (3-1); LP: Olivia Shimmin (1-6)
 
How It Happened
• The Spartans got to work fast in the first as they plated four runs in the bottom of the first. The Spartans got all four runs with two outs as Emma Wade scored two with single to center. Wade eventually scored on a wild pitch. Amanda Criss added an RBI double to center to push the lead to 4-0.
• York kept rolling in the second as Emma Keller had an RBI triple and then scored on a Taylor Coon RBI single, increasing the Spartan lead to 6-0. The Spartans tacked one on in the third as Alyssa Harhigh was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to make it 7-0.
• The Spartans had their biggest inning of the year in the bottom of the fourth with an eight-run explosion. York got their eight runs on eight hits and two walks.
 
Spartan Offensive Leaders
Taylor Coon: 3-for-3, 2 runs, 2 RBI, BB
Emma Keller: 2-for-3, 1 run, 3 RBI, 3B, HBP
Alyssa Harhigh: 2-for-3, 2 runs, 2 RBI, 2B, HBP
Emma Wade: 1-for-2, 1 run, 2 RBI, 2 BB
Amanda Criss 2-for-3, 1 run, 2 RBI, 2B
Bri McKeown: 1-for-1, 2 RBI
Morgan Sauers: 2-for-3, 2 runs
 
Spartan Pitching
Natalie Rietema: 5.0 IP, 2 hits, 0 runs, 5 K, 2 BB, 2 HBP
 
Spartan Notes
The meeting with Husson is the first game between the two schools … York is now 2-0 against Illinois College having outscored the Lady Blues by a combined score of 25-0 … shortstop Alyssa Harhigh broke Spartan Athletic Hall of Famer Joy Byers' school record for RBI (122) with her two RBI in the the win over Illinois … Byers played for York from 1999 to 2002 … Harhigh is closing in on a few more career records including runs scored (8), doubles (2), triples (5), and total bases (8) …senior catcher Daphney Adams broke the school record for caught stealing as she now has nabbed 28 runners during her Spartan career … Adams broke the record previously held by standout Caitlyn Fedorishen who wore the Green and White from 2003-06 … the Spartans finished the eight-game trip hitting .300 as they averaged 4.6 runs per game … the Spartans had 16 doubles in the eight games as they slugged .395 while they owned a .384 on-base percentage … the Spartans were hit by 11 pitches with Harhigh being drilled by a pitch a team-high seven times … York has committed 11 errors which has led to nine unearned runs … the Spartan pitching staff finished the trip with an ERA of 2.53 while the staff has three shutouts, tripling their total of one from all of 2022 … the Spartan pitchers have struck out 38 and walked 15 as opponents are hitting .252 against them.
 
Up Next
The Spartans will make their 2023 home debut on Thursday, March 16 as they welcome Misericordia University to Spartan Stadium for a non-conference doubleheader. First pitch for game one on Thursday is set for 3:00 pm.