LEESBURG, Fla. – The Neumann University Softball team suffered a tough 1-0 loss at the hands of Hiram College before taking down Wentworth Institute of Technology by a final score of 4-2 on Wednesday.
In the first game against Hiram, the game stayed scoreless all the way into the bottom of the seventh inning when the Terriers got a lead-off double, a sacrifice bunt, and a walk-off, seeing-eye single, handing the Knights a heart-breaking 1-0 loss.
Taylor Portzline went 2 for 3 while
Bri Reim and
Alyssa Celi also picked up hits.
Daphne Santos and
Ang Sannicandro hurled the first five scoreless innings, allowing five hits and striking out two.
Olivia Ammon suffered the loss as she pitched the last 1.1 innings, giving up the game's lone run on two hits, and she struck out one. She falls to 2-1 on the year.
In the nightcap against Wentworth, the first two innings went scoreless before the Leopards got on the board in the third on a sacrifice fly. With two outs in the bottom of the inning,
Emily Ammon reached in an infield single and stole second. The catcher's throw ended up in the outfield, eluding the centerfielder, and allowed her to score to tie the game.
Reim led of the fourth with a single to right center and moved to second when Portzline single up the middle. Both moved up a base on a sacrifice bunt by
Jenna Calchi.
Sydney Wright followed with her first collegiate RBI on a grounder to plate Reim and moved Portzline to third. Celi then made it a 3-1 game when she singled to right to score Portzline.
In the fifth, E. Ammon led off with a single and stole second. After
Cioni Simmons reached on a walk, Reim moved the runners up on a sacrifice bunt. Portzline followed with an RBI sacrifice fly, pulling the Knights ahead by three.
Wentworth got within two in the sixth, scoring a run on an error, but with two on and two out, Calchi snared a hard line-drive towards third to end the inning. In the seventh, the Leopards got the tying run on base, but a line drive double play closed out the win for the Knights.
E. Ammon finished 2 for 3 with two stolen bases and two runs scored. Wright earned the win in the circle, going six innings, allowing one earned run on 11 hits and a walk while fanning one, for her first collegiate win.
Ashlynne Scardino closed the game, allowing a hit, and hitting a batter, on her way to her first save of her career.
Neumann(4-4) continues this spring break trip with two more games tomorrow. At 9:00 AM, they take on Concordia College, followed by a 1:30 PM matchup against Carthage College.
