Softball falls in season opening doubleheader against Mount Union

The Muskingum softball team fell in their season opener to Mount Union in doubleheader action on Saturday afternoon. They lost Game 1, 12-5, and Game 2, 8-4.

The Basics

• Records: Muskingum (0-2), Mount Union (2-0)
• Location: New Concord, OH - Donna J. Newberry Field

Game 1

Inside The Numbers

• Senior Hannah Duff started in the circle for the Muskies in Game 1. Duff pitched four innings, allowing three runs on seven hits.
• Sophomore Skylar Lafferty tossed two innings for Muskingum.
• Senior Bailey Waitkus led the Muskie offense with two RBIs off two hits.
• Senior Karsyn Shaffer, senior Riley Powers, and senior Alexia Dowdle each chipped in one RBI.
• Muskingum scored five runs off 11 hits, while the Purple Raiders secured 12 runs of 14 hits.
• Cheyanne Bosse pitched a complete game for Mount Union allowing five runs off 11 hits.
• Brooklyn Hellman led the Purple Raiders with three RBIs from three hits.
• Alexis French added two RBIs off two hits.

The Difference

• Powers gave the Muskies a 1-0 lead off a single to left center.
• Mount Union took their first lead of the game with two-run fourth inning to go up 2-1.
• Waitkus singled to left field in the fourth inning to tie the game, 2-2. Junior Katie Osburn scored off an error to regain the lead, 3-2, while sophomore Claire Warschauer scored another run to finish the fourth inning with the Muskies up, 4-2.
• The Purple Raiders scored four straight runs to take the lead back, 6-4.
• Waitkus singled to the shortstop in the sixth inning to score senior Francesca Stefano and cut Muskingum's deficit to one.
• Mount Union exploded in the seventh inning with six runs to seal the victory.

Game 2

Inside The Numbers

• Junior Hannah Smith started on the mound for the Muskies and pitched three innings allowing five runs off five hits.
• Freshman Autumn Chorba pitched four innings allowing three runs off three hits.
• Stefano led the Muskies with two RBIs off three hits.
• Osburn and freshman Alex Fankhauser each added one RBI for Muskingum.
• Shaffer, Smith, and Stefano each stole one base during the game.
• The Muskies score four runs off of ten hits, while Mount Union snagged eight runs off seven hits.
• Peyton Morrison pitched a complete game for the Purple Raiders allowing four runs on ten hits
• Maddie Pidgeon and Maggie Dominick led the Purple Raiders with three RBIs each.

The Difference

• Mount Union secured the first five runs of the contest and take a 5-0 lead.
• Osburn singled to left field to give the Muskie their first points of the game in the fourth inning.
• Muskingum scored three runs in the fifth inning to cut the deficit to one and be down 5-4. The Muskies got RBI hits from Stefano and Fankhauser in the inning.
• The Purple Raiders scored three more runs in the seventh inning to take an 8-4 lead.
• The Muskies couldn't capitalize on a bases loaded situation in the bottom of seventh inning and saw Mount Union hold on for victory.

Up Next

• The Muskies look to defend home field against Mount Union in doubleheader action on Sunday, March 7. First pitch for Game 1 is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. and Game 2 is set for 3:00 p.m. at Donna J. Newberry Field.