By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information
Myrtle Beach, SC---The Express softball team had a rough day in the circle while dropping two games, 9-2 to Olney Central College and 15-4 to Coastal Carolina.
Game 1: Olney Central College 9 Owens 2
Tyniesha Wilson picked up her first collegiate hit, a pinch hit run scoring single down the left field line, in the sixth inning, but the Express defense committed eight errors in the loss.
Wilson' RBI hit was the second run of the game for the Express. The first came on an RBI single from Jaylee Glad in the fourth inning.
Katilyn Turski (0-2) pitched well despite the rough defense behind her. The freshman went 4.1 innings while allowing seven hits, five runs (two earned) and one walk. She had one strikeout.
Molly Gast relieved her and went the final 2.2 innings. She allowed five hits, four runs (two earned) and one walk while striking out two.
Melanie Iacoangeli went 2-for-4 with two more stolen bases, Katie Butler was 2-for-3 with a run and Glad was2-for-3 with an RBI. Hannah Shank picked up the team's lone walk, while Jolene Sauter scored the team's second run as a pinch runner.
For Olney, four players had two hits apiece en route to 12 team hits. However, only two of their runs came on RBIs.
Game 2: Coastal Carolina 15 Owens 6
The Express gave up eight runs in the first inning, attempted a comeback with five runs in the fifth, but eventually fell 15-6 to Coastal Carolina under the lights at Grand Park.
Sauter started for the Express and allowed six hits and six runs before exiting with only one out in the first. Turski relieved her and allowed two inherited runners to score before escaping the inning.
A solo home run put Coastal Carolina up 9-0 in the top half of the third inning. Then, in the bottom half, the Express got on the board thanks to an RBI triple from Gast. Iacoangeli, who had doubled to lead off the inning, scored on the play.
In the fifth, each team combined for nine runs. Coastal Carolina got two doubles and two singles to score four, while the Express got a triple, two doubles and two singles in a five run inning.
The Express fifth started with a hustle single from Glad. She scored on the next at bat thanks to an RBI triple from Wilson. Iacoangeli then layed one down in front of the pitcher, who tried to get Wilson at third, but threw errantly - allowing Wilson to score, while Iacoangeli advanced to second.
Olivia Reeder and Gast followed with back-to-back RBI doubles. Following a 6-3 groundout, Butler had an RBI single up the middle for the final run of the inning. The last two batters of the inning struck out.
Coastal Carolina added two unearned runs in the sixth inning for the final margin.
The Express had three players pick up two hits apiece. Iacoangeli finished 2-for-4 with two runs, Gast was 2-for-3 with a run and two RBIs, and Glad was 2-for-3 with a run.
Coastal Carolina knocked around Express pitching for 21 hits. They had five players with at least three hits. The top four hitters in their lineup went 13-for-19 with eight runs and nine RBIs. Their eight hitter was 3-for-4 with three runs and two RBIs.
Turski's final line was 5.2 innings pitched, 15 hits, nine runs (seven earned), zero walks and two strikeouts. She was the victim of five doubles and a home run.
Notes
The Express are now 2-4 this year. They will take on CCBC Catonsville at 9 a.m. on Wednesday morning before battling Delta College at 11 a.m.
Wilson has two hits in her collegiate career. Both came today and both were run scoring hits - an RBI single in game one and an RBI triple in game two.
Iacoangeli is now hitting a team-best .556 this year. She also has a team-high eight stolen bases. Butler (.500) and Glad (.500) aren't far behind Iaocangeli for the team lead in batting average.
