CLERMONT, Fla. (March 14) – The California University of Pennsylvania softball team closed play at the PFX Spring Games on Thursday afternoon with a pair of losses, dropping a 2-1 contest to No. 16 Wayne State (Mich.) before suffering a 9-1 run-rule loss to Bridgeport (Conn.).
With the losses, the Vulcans drop to 4-12 this season after posting a 4-6 record at the PFX Spring Games.
Against Wayne State (13-3), senior
Carly Konopka (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township) suffered the loss after allowing two runs (all earned) on eight hits and three walks over 4.1 innings (75 pitches). Sophomore
Hannah Clunk (New Cumberland, W.Va./Oak Glen) scattered one hit over 2.2 innings of scoreless relief. Warrior senior Megan Guitar (8-2) earned the complete-game victory after yielding one run (unearned) on two hits with 10 strikeouts in 7.0 innings (111 pitches).
Wayne State took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second before Konopka forced the Warriors to leave the bases loaded. In the fifth, Wayne State started the inning with a double and advanced the runner to third before collecting an RBI single. The Warriors tallied another single before Clunk entered the circle and forced Wayne State to leave runners on first and second.
Guitar retired 14-consecutive batters before senior center fielder
Abby Sachse (Sugarloaf, Pa./Hazleton) lined a double to left center with one out in the bottom of the seventh. Sachse advanced to third on a ground-out before scoring on a fielding error that allowed sophomore third baseman
Alexa Pastor (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) to reach safely. However, Guitar then forced a foul-out to close the game.
Against Bridgeport (11-2), senior
Taylor Robblee (Woodstock, Ontario/College Avenue) was saddled with the loss after surrendering four runs (three earned) on six hits while setting a season high with eight strikeouts in 4.0 innings.
The Vulcans threatened in the top of the first with runners on the corners and one out before a strikeout and fly-out ended the inning. In the bottom of the first, right fielder Jenna DiLorenzo belted a three-run homer before Bridgeport later loaded the bases. Robblee then ended the inning with back-to-back strikeouts.
Cal U cut the deficit to 3-1 in the fourth on an RBI single by freshman second baseman
Kaitlyn Corle (Hopewell, Pa./Northern Bedford). The Vulcans later loaded the bases following a two-out walk before a fly-out halted the inning. The Knights responded with one run in the bottom of the fourth before again leaving the bases loaded, 4-1.
In the fifth, Bridgeport manufactured a run following a leadoff walk with back-to-back RBI singles with two outs before first baseman Kamryn Beach belted a three-run homer to force the 9-1 run-rule victory.
Robblee finished the PFX Spring Games with a team-leading .414 average (12-for-29) and also posted a 3-2 record with a 1.58 ERA in the circle.
The Vulcans are idle for two weeks before opening PSAC West play with a doubleheader at Slippery Rock on March 29.
