YORK, PA – The York College softball team got a pair of shutout wins as they swept Widener in a MAC Commonwealth doubleheader on a chilly Wednesday in York.
The Spartans won game one 4-0 and matched that score in game two.
The Spartans improve to 10-16 overall and 5-3 in the Commonwealth while the Pride falls to 8-17 overall and 1-7 in the conference.
 
Game One
Runs: York 4 – Widener 0
Hits: York 6  - Widener 3
Errors: York 1 – Widener 2
LOB: York 5 – Widener 7
WP: Natalie Rietema (6-8); LP: Katelyn Tong (1-2)
 
How It Happened
• Game one was decided early as the Spartans plated four runs in the bottom of the first inning. After a quick top of the first, Rylee Dreyer started the bottom of the first with a single to right. Morgan Sauers walked before Gretchen Barstad hit into a fielder's choice, leaving Spartans at the corners with one out. The Spartans executed a double steal as Barstad raced to second and Dreyer scored from third for the 1-0 lead. Barstad moved to third on an Emma Wade fly out to right. Alexis McDonaugh double to right center to put the Spartans up 2-0 as Barstad scored. Bri McKeown had a great at-bat to draw a two out walk. Kate Miller doubled to left to score McDonaugh for the 3-0 lead. Danella Silagy closed out the scoring with a single to left to score McKeown for the fourth run of the frame.
• Widener drew a pair of walks in the third but Natalie Rietema got a pop up to first to end the threat. Widener picked up their first hit of the game in the fourth as Rietema walked a hitter before allowing the infield single to Sam McCarthy. Rietema again got out of it, this time with a strikeout.
• Rietema retired the final seven hitters of the game for her third complete game shutout of the year.
 
Spartan Offensive Leaders
Danella Silagy: 2-for-3, RBI
Rylee Dreyer: 1-for-3, 1 run, BB, 2 SB
Alexis McDonaugh: 1-for-2, 1 run, 1 RBI, BB, 2B
Kate Miller: 1-for-3, RBI, 2B, BB
 
Spartan Pitching
Natalie Rietema: 7.0 IP, 3 hits, 0 ER, 8 K, 4 BB
 
Game Two
Runs: York 4 – Widener 0
Hits: York 7 – Widener 7
Errors: York 1 – Widener 1
LOB: York 3 – Widener 9
WP: Gretchen Barstad (4-3); LP: Caitlyn Katchur (4-6); Save: Natalie Rietema (1)
 
How It Happened
• York opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the second on a Bri McKeown RBI single to right, scoring Emma Wade who led off the inning with a walk. York added to the lead in the fourth. Gretchen Barstad led off the inning with a single to right and she moved to second on a Widener throwing error. Barstad advanced to third on a pop out to short in shallow left field. Alexis McDonaugh stayed hot with a RBI single to left center for the 2-0 lead.
• Barstad bobbed and weaved through five innings of work as she allowed seven hits and one walk. She did not allow a run as the Spartan defense made some big plays behind her to preserve the shutout.
• York got a pair of huge insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth. McDonaugh started the scoring with a sacrifice fly to score Barstad who singled to open the inning. McKeown had a double to left to score pinch runner Olivia Turchi for the 4-0 lead.
• Natalie Rietema was able to navigate the final two innings as she picked up her first save of the year.
 
Spartan Offensive Leaders
Gretchen Barstad: 2-for-3, 2 runs
Bri McKeown: 2-for-3, 2 RBI, 2B
Alexis McDonaugh: 1-for-1, 2 RBI, BB, SF
 
Spartan Pitching
Gretchen Barstad: 5.0 IP, 7 hits, 0 runs, 3 K, 1 BB
Natalie Rietema: 2.0 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 1 K, 2 BB
 
Spartan Notes
York is now 15-3 all-time against Widener as they have won nine straight in the series … York is now 6-2 at Spartan Stadium as they have won three straight at home … pitchers Natalie Rietema and Gretchen Barstad combined throw 14 shutout innings as they scattered 10 hits, striking out 12 and walking seven … the back-to-back shutouts are the first since the end of the 2023 season when they blanked Stevenson 3-0 on May 4 and Eastern 2-0 on May 5 in the MAC Commonwealth tournament … the last time the Spartans threw back-to-back shutouts in the same day was March 6, 2023 when they shutout Marian (Wisc.) 5-0 and Kenyon 1-0 in their season opener in Kissimmee, Florida … Rietema's game two save was York's first save of the year … York stole seven bases in the opener, their second highest total of the year (8 vs. Hood on March 29) … Danella Silagy picked up her seventh multi-hit game of the year in game one … Gretchen Barstad had her seventh multi-hit game of the year in the nightcap while Bri McKeown had her first multi-hit game in game two … Alexis McDonaugh extended her current hit streak to eight … McDonaugh also had her sixth multi-RBI game of the year while McKeown had her first … McDonaugh has now reached base safely in 20 straight games ... catcher Emma Wade threw out a pair of attempted base stealers in the two games. 
 
Up Next
The Spartans head to Grantham, PA on Saturday afternoon to take on Messiah in a big MAC Commonwealth doubleheader. First pitch for game one on Saturday is set for 1:00 pm.