CLERMONT, Fla. (March 17) – The California University of Pennsylvania softball team closed play at the PFX Spring Games on Thursday night, suffering a 7-5 loss to No. 24 Wayne State (Mich.) before earning a 9-6 victory over Nova Southeastern (Fla.).
With the split, the Vulcans now stand at 7-7 overall after posting a 5-4 record while in Florida at the PFX Spring Games.
Against Nova Southeastern (13-17), Cal U used a pair of four-run innings to end the trip with a 9-6 victory. Senior designated player
Megan Jahoda (Buchanan, N.Y./Hendrick Hudson) went 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored, while junior left fielder
Courtney Sinclair (Oil City, Ontario/Lambton Central) finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Junior first baseman
Hailey Wilson (Delaware, Ohio/Olentangy) tallied two hits and two RBI, while freshman third baseman
Paige Wilson (Warren, Pa./Warren) and junior catcher
Kaylyn Roose (Akron, Ohio/Revere) both collected a pair of hits.
The Vulcans took a 4-0 lead in the top of the second on back-to-back, two-run doubles by junior shortstop
Emily Price (Warren, Ohio/Howland) and
Hailey Wilson. NSU answered with an unearned run in the bottom of the inning before cutting the deficit to 4-2 on a solo homer to start the third inning.
After leaving the bases loaded in the fifth, Cal U scored four runs following a two-out error in the sixth. Jahoda delivered a two-run double before scoring on a fielder's choice and senior right fielder
Kaity Finley (Latrobe, Pa./Greater Latrobe) followed with an RBI single. The Sharks responded with two runs in bottom of the sixth before the Vulcans added an insurance run in the seventh. NSU then countered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning, 9-6.
Senior
Portia McBride (Elizabeth, Pa./Elizabeth Forward) earned the win after allowing four runs (all earned) on six hits and two walks in 5.0 innings of relief.
Against Wayne State (17-5),
Hailey Wilson went 2-for-4 with three RBI and Price added a pair of RBI.
The Warriors took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first after benefiting from back-to-back errors following a leadoff triple. Cal U tied the score in the second on a bases-loaded single by
Hailey Wilson before Wayne State belted a three-run homer in the third to take a 5-2 lead. The Warriors then added one run in both the fourth and fifth before the Vulcans scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth, 7-5. Sinclair started the two-out rally with a single before Finley drew a walk. Price then followed with a two-run double and scored on a single by
Hailey Wilson.
McBride suffered the loss after surrendering six runs (four earned) on five hits. Redshirt freshman
Cierra Funke (Hampshire County, W.Va./Hampshire) yielded one run (earned) while scattering six hits over 3.0 innings of relief.
The Vulcans are idle for a week before returning to action on March 23 when they host a doubleheader against West Liberty at 3 p.m.
