Softball Takes Opener but Fall in Night Cap at Union College

Schenectady, N.Y. – Kristie Zator went 4-for-4 in MCLA's game one, 6-4 victory at Union College this afternoon. The Trailblazers fell 4-2 in the nightcap.

THE BASICS:

• Date: Wednesday, April 17, 2024
• Game #1: MCLA 6, Union 4
• Game #2: MCLA 4, Union 2
• Records: MCLA Trailblazers 7-20 (MASCAC 0-8) | Union College Garnet Chargers 4-14 (Liberty 3-3)

HIGHLIGHTS

• Game #1
  • MCLA jumped out to an early lead, scoring a pair of runs in the top of the third inning. Hailey Peabody kicked the rally off with a single into right-center field. After Peabody stole second, she scored on Maddy Teta's triple into the right-center field gap. Teta then doubled the Trailblazer's lead, scoring on Ella Staffier's sacrifice bunt.
  • Union answered back by cutting the lead back to a single run on an RBI double to right field by Riley Callahan that scored Elizabeth Werner, who had led off the inning with a walk. However, the play also saw MCLA execute a perfect relay by Kristie Zator to Peabody to Maggie Closinski that cut down a second run at the plate.
  • After Union tied the game at two with a run in the bottom of the fourth, the Trailblazers restored their lead with three runs in the top of the fifth. The speedy Teta led off by reaching on an error by the Chargers' second baseman and promptly made the hosts pay by stealing second and moving to third on Staffier's bunt single. Teta scored on Justina Pardi's RBI sac fly to center. Two batters later, Lora Woyton scored Staffier with a double into the left-center field gap before being driven in on Kristie Zator's RBI single down the left-field line.
  • In the top of the sixth MCLA added on an insurance run after Peabody tripled to left center to drive Union starter Autumn Duff from the game. Peabody completed the circuit when she scored on Teta's groundout to short.
  • The Garnet Chargers mounted a mini-rally in the bottom of the seventh, scoring a pair of runs on two hits and an error before Woyton locked down the win by inducing a pop-up to third, striking out what would have been the tying run at the plate.
  • Woyton picked up the win while throwing her eighth complete game of the season, scattering eight hits over seven innings, striking out five to improve to 2-9. Duff took the loss to fall to 1-6.
• Game #2
  • Union scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the second and one run in the fifth before MCLA finally found their way onto the scoreboard. In the top of the sixth, the Trailblazers rallied to get back within a single run. Staffier started the rally with a bunt single. Two batters later, she came all the way around from first on Woyton's double to the center field fence. After Woyton took the liberty of stealing third, Closinski battled through an eight-pitch at-bat that culminated with a line drive ground ball that kicked off the pitcher's leg to the second baseman for an RBI ground out.
  • Union added an insurance run in the bottom of the frame on a home run to left center by pitcher Cassie Wiggins, who then proceeded to set MCLA down 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh inning to secure the win
  • Wiggins pitched a gem for the Garnet Chargers to pick up her first collegiate win and evened her record at 1-1 by allowing six hits over seven innings while striking out five. Sarah Williams took the tough luck loss despite scattering nine hits in her 13^th complete game of the season, dropping her record to 4-10.

UP NEXT:

On Saturday, MCLA will be back in action when they play host to Fitchburg State for a MASCAC matchup with the Falcons at the Zavattaro Athletics Complex. The first pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.

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