DANVILLE, Ky. – Centre softball had both a thrilling extra-innings win and a run-rule loss in a weekday doubleheader against Earlham College.
The Colonels won 7-6 in the first contest and fell 10-1 in the final game.
GAME ONE: Centre 7, Earlham 6
- It was the Quakers who took an early lead in the opening game. An error and a wild pitch put the visitors up 2-0 in the top of the third.
- Centre answered back with a strong fourth frame.
Emily Lammers led the inning off by walking and then
Morgan Tabor followed with a double to left field. A
Cheney Floyd sacrifice bunt scored Lammers and then a
Kira Mashburn single scored Tabor.
- The tie did not last long. Earlham put up four runs via a single and double to go up 6-2 heading into the bottom of the fifth.
- A rally from the Gold & White squad began in the bottom of the fifth frame.
Aleiah Branin and
Kennedy Caudill scored on a
Rylee Sandifer two-RBI single to cut the lead to two. A passed ball came, and the home team plated another to make the lead just 6-5.
- In the bottom of the sixth a bases loaded walk pulled Centre an even 6-6.
- The scheduled seven innings came and went with a deadlocked score.
Myah Fletcher was the runner placed on second in the start of extra innings for the Colonels. The freshman hit a leadoff double which scored Fletcher to win the game for the Gold & White 7-6.
- Caudill got the start in the circle and went five complete innings. The New Albany, Ind. native notched a career-high six strikeouts in the contest. Howard earned the win with her three innings of work where she allowed no earned runs and struck out three.
GAME TWO: Earlham 10, Centre 1
- The second game was tough going for Centre from the start. The Quakers put up eight innings in the first frame alone.
- In the bottom of the second inning,
Madeline Lay led off with a double and then advanced to third on the throw. A sacrifice fly from
Myah Fletcher scored Lay which ended up being the only Colonel run of the contest.
- Two RBI singles in the top of the sixth gave Earlham 10 runs which earned that squad a run-rule win.
- Three pitchers saw action in the final game of the DH.
Madison Mullender started the contest and pitched one third of an inning. Howard was next and struck out a career-high seven batters over the five and one third innings she hurled. Caudill closed out the final third of the last inning.
UP NEXT
The second road trip of the season for the Gold & White is next on the calendar. Centre will face future Southern Athletic Association foe Maryville College on Monday, March 24 for a doubleheader that begins at 3 p.m.
