By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information
Myrtle Beach, SC---The Express softball team defeated SUNYIT 5-2 and Monroe College (NY) 1-0 today behind a couple clutch hits from Hannah Morrison against SUNYIT, as well as stellar pitching from Ashlyn Michalak and the game winning run from Melanie Iacoangeli against Monroe.
Game 1: Owens 5 SUNYIT 2
Against NCAA D-III SUNYIT, the Express used a four run third inning to help propel them to a win.
In that inning, Michelle Hollister doubled to deep left field to begin the inning. After getting a bunt single, Mareshah Scott stole second to put runners on second and third with no outs. Tabitha Britt then laid down a squeeze bunt to score Hollister. On the play, Scott also scored when SUNYIT's catcher let the ball get past her.
Then, with Britt on third two outs later, Tayler Redinger was hit by a pitch. Jaylee Glad pinch ran for her and stole second with Morrison up to bat. Morrison then lined a two-run single to left field that scored Britt and Glad.
In the fifth, Sydney Barron and Katie Butler each singled to lead off the inning. Later in the inning, Morrison would double to left center to score Amanda Sinay, who had pinch ran for Butler. Barron was erased at third base on a fielder's choice earlier in the inning.
Meanwhile, Express starter Lexi Sheets had allowed only two hits and one walk through the first four innings. In the fifth, she recorded her sixth strikeout to begin the inning, but walked the next two batters.
Express head coach Duane Lanham then brought Kasey Graham in to pitch. After an error loaded the bases with one out, Graham got the next two batters to fly out, which preserved a 5-0 lead.
Then, in the sixth, SUNYIT broke through for two runs off Graham on three singles and a ground out. However, Graham worked out of potential further damage by striking out the final two batters looking to end the inning with the Express up 5-2.
After the Express went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the sixth, Michalak entered the circle for Graham in the top of the seventh and struck out all three batters she faced to end the game and pick up her second save of the season.
Sheets (3-0) got the win for the Express. She allowed two hits and three walks while striking out six over 4.1 innings. Graham's final line included 1.2 innings, three hits, two runs, zero walks and two strikeouts.
Sheets lowered her ERA to 0.91 after today as she's only allowed two runs in 15.1 innings pitched.
As a team, the Express struck out 11 SUNYIT hitters.
Offensively, Morrison and Hollister led the Express. Morrison finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs and a double, while Hollister finished 2-for-3 with a run and a double.
Juleah Vedder led SUNYIT at the plate as she finished 2-for-3 with a run.
Game 2: Owens 1 Monroe College (NY) 0
Ashlyn Michalak recorded her third double digit strikeout game this season as the Express scored in the bottom of the seventh inning to defeat Monroe College (NY) 1-0.
With a chance to get a walk off win in the seventh, Iacoangeli led off with a single. On the first pitch to Hallie Thompson, she stole second. Thompson then singled on a bunt to the shortstop to put Iacoangeli at third with no outs. Following a steal of second by Thompson, Hollister grounded a ball to short and Iacoangeli beat the throw home to win the game for the Express.
Michalak and Lee Ann Rosa of Monroe dueled the whole game. Michalak struck out 12 batters through the first five innings, and she didn't allow a hit until the sixth inning. It was in that sixth inning that Monroe loaded the bases with one out. However, a bunt led to a force out at home and a delayed steal from third base resulted in another out at home to end the inning.
Michalak (3-0) finished with seven innings pitched allowing only two hits and one walk with 12 strikeouts. Monroe, unable to hit Michalak, attempted to push across runs via the bunt in the sixth and seventh, but it didn't work.
Rose finished with six innings pitched while allowing seven hits, one run and zero walks while striking out two. Despite six scoreless innings for Rosa, the Express had plenty of opportunities as they left eight runners on base including two in each of the first three innings.
Seven players got one hit each for the Express including Barron, Butler, Kenny Craig, Sinay, Iacoangeli, Thompson and Hollister.
Today was the season opener for Monroe, and the game was their second 1-0 loss of the day with an earlier defeat against Olney Central College.
Notes
With her 12 strikeouts today, Michalak now has 50 strikeouts in 24 innings pitched with a 3-0 record and two saves. She is carrying a 0.29 ERA. With her one inning, three strikeout save in game one, she finished the day with 15 strikeouts in eight innings pitched.
Morrison has now played in three games this year and is 4-for-7 with a double and seven RBIs, while Hollister is hitting .500 (8-for-16) in seven games played.
The Express will take on Monroe College once again on Friday at 9 a.m. before batting St. Joseph's College at 11 a.m. to close out their spring trip in Myrtle Beach.