By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information

Toledo, OH---Alyssa Lassey got a two-run seventh inning rally started, while Mareshah Scott knocked her home and scored the game winning run as the No. 19 Express softball team defeated No. 10 Muskegon Community College 9-8 in their home opener today.

With her team down 8-7, Lassey tripled to left with one out in the seventh. Scott then reached on a fielder's choice as Lassey scampered home. The next batter, Amanda Sinay, lined an RBI hit to right center that scored Scott and ended the game.

The Express led 3-0 early as they got single runs in the second, third and fourth. In the second, Scott had an RBI single up the middle. In the third, Melanie Iacoangeli tripled with one out and scored on a squeeze by Olivia Reeder. Then, in the third, Katie Butler doubled with one out and scored on another RBI single to center from Scott.

Muskegon answered with two runs in the fifth inning off Express starter Katilyn Turski. Both runs were unearned.

The Express then scored three runs in the bottom half. Tyniesha Wilson reached on an error and later scored on an RBI single by Reeder. Iacoangeli and Reeder then scored on a single up the middle from Emily Rockman that made it 6-2 Express.

In the sixth, Muskegon rallied for five runs with two outs and no one on. They got five straight hits and then two walks before Molly Gast got a strikeout swinging to end the threat.

Gast had relieved Turski with the bases loaded. She gave up a walk and a bases loaded wild pitch prior to the strikeout.

In the bottom half, Iacoangeli reached on an error and later scored on another error during Taylor Miller's at bat. That tied the game at 7-all.

In the top half of the seventh, Deanna Stickler-Gatson walked and stole second to lead off the inning. Gast then got a strikeout and a 2-3 groundout, but a passed ball allowed the go-ahead run to score. The final batter of the inning grounded out to second base.

The Express then won it in the bottom half.

Scott finished 2-for-4 with a run, a stolen base and three RBIs, while Reeder was 1-for-3 with a run, a stolen base and two RBIs. Additionally, Iacoangeli was 2-for-4 with three runs and a stolen base, Rockman was 1-for-3 with a run, a walk and two RBIs, and Lassey finished 2-for-3 with a run and a triple.

Gast (1-1) picked up the win in relief, while Kaytlin Wozniak (2-5) took the loss for Muskegon. Gast allowed one run (zero earned) and two walks while striking out two in 1.1 innings.

Turski, who pitched the first 5.2 innings for the Express, totaled 10 hits, seven runs (five earned), two walks and four strikeouts. 

Notes

The second game was suspended due to darkness in the middle of the fifth inning with the Jayhawks leading 3-2.

Gast started for the Express, while the Express had just trimmed a 3-0 deficit to one run in the fourth and were coming back up in the fifth when play was halted. Jaylee Glad and Gast scored the team's two runs in that fourth inning, while Rockman and Lassey picked up the two RBI hits.

The Express (6-5) are scheduled to resume the suspended game against Muskegon tomorrow at 1 p.m., followed by another doubleheader against Muskegon.