YORK, PA – The York College softball team had pair of distinctly different games on Thursday in York. In game one against PSU Harrisburg, the Spartans won 8-0 in six innings. In the nightcap, the Lions rolled past the Spartans 7-1 after York took the early lead in the game.
The Spartans had their four-game win streak snapped with the game two loss.
York falls to 5-9 overall while the Lions improve to 6-4.
 
Game One (6 innings)
Runs: York 8 – Harrisburg 0
Hits: York 10 – Harrisburg 2
Errors: York 0 – Harrisburg 0
LOB: York 6 – Harrisburg 5
WP: Natalie Rietema (3-5); LP: Kylee Miller (2-2)
 
How It Happened
• The Spartans struck early but it was after there were two outs in the bottom of the first. Gretchen Barstad singled up the middle to start the rally. Emma Wade then singled off the pitcher Kylee Miller to put Spartans at first and second. Alexis McDonaugh had a great at bat as she fell behind 1-2 early in the count only to come back and work a walk to load the bases. Kate Miller then launched a triple to the right field wall to clear the bases and give York the 3-0 lead.
• The Spartans added to the lead in the third. Danella Silagy led off the inning with a single. Barstad was hit by a pitch and then Wade doubled to left center to score Silagy. McDonaugh followed with a single to right center to score Barstad and Wade as the lead grew to 6-0. The Spartans loaded the bases but would be unable to tack on any additional runs.
• York got a single run in the fourth as Wade reached via an error and McDonaugh drove her home with another RBI single. York invoked the run-rule in the sixth as Silagy led off the inning with a single. She moved to second on a ground out and scored on a Wade RBI single for the 8-0 win.
• Junior Natalie Rietema was outstanding in the win as she twirled a two-hit shutout. Rietema struck out four and walked three as she earned her first shutout of the year.
 
Spartan Offensive Leaders
Emma Wade: 3-for-4, 3 runs, 2 RBI, 2B
Alexis McDonaugh: 2-for-2, 1 run, 3 RBI, BB
Danella Silagy: 2-for-4, 2 runs
Kate Miller: 1-for-3, 3 RBI, 3B
 
Spartan Pitching
Natalie Rietema: 6.0 IP, 2 hits, 0 runs, 4 K, 3 BB
 
Game Two
Runs: York 1 – Harrisburg 7
Hits: York 7 – Harrisburg 6
Errors: York 0 – Harrisburg 2
LOB: York 9 – Harrisburg 12
WP: Kierstyn Smith (3-0); LP: Gretchen Barstad (2-1)
 
How It Happened
• The Spartans got the scoring started in the first as Danella Silagy walked with one out. Gretchen Barstad singled up the middle to put Spartans at first and second. Emma Wade followed with an RBI single to left, scoring a hustling Silagy for the 1-0 lead. York left runners at second and third to end the inning.
• The Lions blew the game open in the third with a five-run inning. The scored the five runs on one base hit, an Aspen Walker RBI single that scored two. Three York pitchers combined to walk five Lions and hit two more in the game-changing inning.
• The Lions made it 7-1 in the fourth courtesy of an Emily Cutman two run double to left center.
• York was never able to get on track offensively as they couldn't string hits together against Kierstyn Smith. Smith allowed one run as she scattered seven singles while she walked one as she improves to 3-0.
 
Spartan Offensive Leaders
Emma Wade: 2-for-4, RBI
Rylee Dreyer: 2-for-3
 
Spartan Pitching
Gretchen Barstad: 2.1 IP, 3 hits, 5 ER, 1 K, 4 BB, HB
Kyrsten Coppage: 0.1 IP, 0 hits, 2 BB, HB
Courtney Freese: 4.1 IP, 3 hits, 2 ER, 2 K, 6 BB
 
Spartan Notes
York is now 12-2 all-time against the Lions as the squad have split each of the last two doubleheaders … the Spartan pitching staff yielded a season-high 12 walks in game two while they also hit two batters … the Lions left 12 on-base in game two … York had 10 hits in game one as they reached double figures in knocks for the fifth time this year … the Spartans had their first triple of the season with Kate Miller's three bagger in the first inning of game one … York drew just three walks in the two games combined while they only struck out twice … the Spartans split a doubleheader for the third time this year … Emma Wade recorded her sixth and seventh multi-hit games of the year including her third three-hit game in the opener … Wade and Gretchen Barstad are both riding season-high six game hitting streaks for York … Alexis McDonaugh extended her reached base safely streak to eight, a season-high for York … McDonaugh has seven of her nine RBI for the year in the last three games as she is 6-for-8 with three runs scored and seven RBI in those three games … the game one shutout for Natalie Rietema is her sixth career whitewashing … Rietema has been very good in her last two outings as she has three 13 innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on seven hits with 11 strikeouts in two wins.
 
Up Next
The Spartans jump back into conference play on Saturday as they travel to the defending MAC Commonwealth champion Eastern University Eagles for a Commonwealth twin bill. Game one in St. David's, PA is scheduled for 1:00 pm Saturday.