March 12, 2011

Adelphi vs. Ashland/Adelphi vs. IUP

Kissimmee, FL - The Adelphi University softball team continued play at the 2011 Rebel Games in Kissimmee, Florida on Saturday, March 12 against Ashland and Indiana University (PA). The Panthers pushed Ashland to extra innings, falling 3-2 and then were held scoreless by IUP, dropping a 5-0 decision. With the losses Adelphi falls to 1-3 overall.

Adelphi vs. Ashland
Adelphi and Ashland combined for five hits in the first seven innings of play as neither team could produce any offense, forcing the contest into extra innings. Adelphi struck first as Emily Dorko scored on a two out single by pinch hitter Courtney Sullivan, giving the Panthers a 1-0 lead.

Ashland answered back in the bottom of the eighth, loading the bases and sending a run across the plate on a sacrifice fly to right, knotting the score at one and pushing the game into the ninth. Adelphi took a one run lead again in the ninth, courtesy of a Deandra Leo single that brought Paige Rhodes across the plate and changed the score to 2-1. Amanda Krier followed that up with a single, giving the Panthers runners on first and second, but back to back strike outs ended the threat.

Leighann Bell was brought in one batter into the ninth to relieve Katie Andrews, who tossed eight innings of one run softball, striking out eight and giving up just three hits. Ashland loaded the bases with one out and Bell forced the next batter into a force out at home, however the next Ashland batter singled, driving in two runs and securing the win for Ashland.

Krier was the only Panther to post multiple hits, going 2-4, while Bell was credited with the loss, her first of the season.

Adelphi vs. Indiana (PA)
The offense was tough to come by in Adelphi's second game of the day, as IUP's pitcher gave up just three hits and struck out five. However, the Panthers threatened in the first, putting runners at the corners, before Amanda Dolan's shot to center was tracked down.

Adelphi starter Bell ran into some trouble in second, as the Crimson Hawks led the frame off with a home run and followed that up with a one out double, that became a run just a batter later on a single, giving IUP a 2-0 lead. From there Bell was stellar, facing just three batters in three of the next four innings.

Andrews would relieve Bell in the top of the seventh and gave up three singles, resulting in three IUP runs, before striking out the final two batters of the inning swinging and looking. Adelphi went down one, two, three in the bottom half of the seventh, falling 5-0.

Bell tossed six innings, striking out four and scattering six hits, while Andrews threw one inning of relief striking out three.

Adelphi returns to action on Sunday, March 13 in Kissimmee, Florida when they take on Caldwell and Minnesota-Duluth.