ALLENTOWN, Pa. – The Neumann University Softball team took both ends of a non-conference doubleheader against Cedar Crest College on Monday afternoon. They won game one, 11-0 in five innings, and grabbed game two, 9-4.
Emily Ammon led off the first game by taking a 3-2 pitch up the middle for a single. She quickly stole second and third, then came in to score on a
Cioni Simmons infield hit. Simmons followed with a steal of second and three batters later,
Dakota Marshall drove her in with an RBI double for a 2-0 lead.
With one out in the second, the Knights started another threat.
Tori Spinella picked up an infield hit and
Rylie Norris singled up the middle. After they pulled off a double steal, Ammon drove them both home with a triple. Simmons hit an RBI single to plate Ammon and after a fly out, Simmons moved to second on a wild pitch.
Nicole Anderson would follow with a double to score Simmons.
Dakota Marshall was next with a single to left, moving Anderson to third. After a Marshall steal of second, both her and Anderson would score on a
Marina Costello double for an eight-run lead.
After a scoreless third, Marshall reached on a one-out triple to the left centerfield gap. Costello followed with a smash that cleared the centerfield fence for a two-run home run, the Knights' first homer of the season, making it 10-0.
In the fifth, Norris led off by reaching on an error and got the third when Ammon hit a ground-rule double. Two batters later,
Ellie Zarnawski was hit by a pitch then Norris scored on a fielder's choice.
Costello, in addition to her home run, pitched a five-inning compete game two-hit shutout for the win. She walked two and struck out nine to improve her personal record to 3-3.
Once again, Neumann got off to a strong start in game two when Ammon led off with a single to right field. After stealing second, she scored when she took off for third and the catcher's throw ended up in the outfield.
Gracie Jairdullo, Costello, and Marshall all doubled, resulting in two more runs. Following a groundout,
Natalie Jairdullo singled in Marshall, and Spinella drove in N. Jairdullo on a sacrifice fly for an early 4-0 lead.
In the bottom of the first, Cedar Crest cut the Neumann lead in half with an RBI single and a run-scoring wild pitch. With one out in the second, Ammon reached base on an infield single and stole second. She then moved to third on a wild pitch and scored when Costello singled into right field making it 5-2.
The Falcons got back into the game in the bottom of the third with an RBI double and a sacrifice fly. In the fourth, the Knights loaded the bases with one away as Simmons singled, Ammon walked, and G. Jairdullo reached on a bunt single. Costello knocked in a run on an RBI single and
Bella Morales drew a bases loaded walk to give Neumann two insurance runs.
In the sixth, Ammon led off with a single, stole second, stole third, and scored on a Costello RBI single. After a successful sacrifice bunt, Morales grounded out to drive in G. Jairdullo, who earlier reached on a fielder's choice, closing the scoring.
Ang Sannicandro got the win in relief. In 4.2 innings, she allowed just one hit as she improved her record to 2-3.
Ammon led by hitting 7 for 8, including 4 for 4 in game two. She had a double, two triples, a walk, two runs batted in, and five runs scored. She was also 6 for 6 in steal attempts. Costello was 6 for 7 and was also 4 for 4 in game two. She added a home run, two doubles, eight RBI, and two runs. Marshall was 4 for 7 with two doubles, a triple, two RBI, three runs scored.
Neumann (13-17, 4-4 Atlantic East) will be back in action on Wednesday when they host another non-conference doubleheader against cross-county rivals, Widener University. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 PM.
