March 14, 2010

Game One|Game Two

Kissimee, Fl. - The Adelphi softball team edged Wisconsin-Parkside, 8-7, before dropping a close 4-3 contest to Caldwell College in day three of the Rebel Games. The Panthers move to 3-1 on the season.

Game One- Adelphi 8, Wisconsin-Parkside 7

With one out in the first, senior Katie Brophy singled to right field. Then junior Shay Craig doubled on a 0-1 pitch to left center. With runners at second and third and two out, freshman Amanda Dolan took a first pitch strike to right field, scoring Brophy.

In the top of the third, Wisconin-Parkside loaded the bases. Pitcher Christine Robinson regrouped and struck out the clean-up hitter on only three pitches. With two outs in the inning, the designated player for UWP launched a ball to right-center that cleared the bases and gave Parkside their first lead of the game. Robinson struck out the next hitter looking to end the inning.

In the bottom of the fifth, junior Maria Canino led off the inning as a pinch hitter for the Panthers. In her first at-bat as a Panther, Canino took an 0-1 pitch to centerfield for a basehit. Freshman Emily Dorko re-entered the game to run at first base and stole second. Leadoff hitter Rochelle Noren added to the rally with a single that advanced Dorko to 3B. On the next pitch, Noren stole second base putting the tying run on second base with no outs in the inning and Craig at the plate. Craig came through with a sacrifice fly to deep right field, scoring Dorko, while Noren advanced to third base on the throw. The relay got away from UWP's 3rd baseman, causing a collision at 3B where obstruction was called and Rochelle Noren was awarded home, tying the game at 3 runs a piece. UWP ace, Bryant, retired the next three batters for Adelphi.

UWP pulled ahead in the seventh, picking up two runs, 5-3. However the Panthers rallied in the bottom of the inning to tie the game. Brophy walked then scored on a RBI double by Craig. Junior catcher Deandra Leo kept the streak going for the Panthers with a base-hit to left field that touched down just past a diving left fielder and then advanced to second on the throw to the plate.

With runners on first and second, Dolan came up big with a sacrifice fly to shallow right field which allowed a sliding Craig to beat the throw and knot the game for the second time.

The international tie-breaker was in effect in the eighth and UWP started with a runner on second base and no outs in the inning. Wisconsin would score two more runs before junior left-hander Leighann Bell was entered the game with two outs to face the final batter for Parkside. Bell got leadoff hitter to ground out to the pitcher and Adelphi headed into the bottom of the 8th with a 2 run deficit.

Ashley Vinti was placed on second in the bottom of the eighth. Christine Robinson reached first base on a bunt single to the mound. The UWP pitcher retired the next two batters to put her team one out from the win. With two out and two on, Noren scored Vinti. Noren then stole second to put the go-ahead run in scoring position. Brophy came through in a big way as she sent the ball over the head of the left fielder to win the game.

Game Two- Adelphi 3, Caldwell 4

The Panthers scored three times in the top of the third to jump out to an early lead. The Cougars rallied in the bottom of the third with two outs to knot the score,3-3. Caldwell continued to deliver with two outs, as junior Annie Forte's RBI single in the fifth put Cougars on top 4-3. Adelphi loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the seventh with two singles and a walk. But Kourtney Wilson struck out the next batter and induced an infield popup to end the game.

Kourtney Wilson gave up three hits in four innings of relief of junior Brittany Pulido who allowed three runs on five hits in three innings. Freshman Amanda Dolan and senior Rochelle Noren had a pair of hits apiece for the Panthers.

Adelphi is back in action on Tuesday, March 16, as they take on Kentucky Wesleyan at 9:00 a.m., followed by the University of Bridgeport at 11:00 a.m.