Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box
CHESTER, Pa. - Widener University scored four runs with two out in the bottom of the seventh to come back and salvage a split with Lebanon Valley College, 2-0 and 4-3, in Commonwealth Conference softball action Tuesday.
The Dutchmen (14-7, 3-1 CC) are now in a three-way tie for first in the conference with the Pride (18-8, 3-1 CC) and Elizabethtown (8-11, 3-1 CC). The loss in game two snapped an eight-game winning streak for LVC, which tied the program record.
Freshman Laura Snyder threw a one-hitter to win the opener and was helped by Linley Eberhart's RBI single in the fourth and Kristen Uhas' insurance home run in the sixth.
The game two win for Widener was the 400th for Head Coach Fred Dohrmann, and it certainly proved to be one he won't soon forget. Down to their final out, the Pride came back from 3-0 down with four unearned runs in the seventh, including Mallory Meyer's walk-off, two-RBI single to win the game.
In game one, the Dutchmen managed just two baserunners in the first three innings before Jess Salisbury singled with one out in the fourth. Marisa Krause pinch-ran for her, and Caitlin Keller drew a walk to put two on. After Allie Davies flew out to center, Eberhart dropped a single into right, sending Krause around for what held up as the game-winning run.
The Dutchmen threatened for more in the fifth with Chelsea Artz on third and one out, but Katie DeJulio grounded into a 5-3-2 double play to end the inning. Uhas then led off the sixth with her round-tripper, driving the ball to right for the 2-0 lead.
Meanwhile, Snyder was lights-out, striking out eight and walking only one. She had some defensive help preserving the shutout, though; after her lone walk put Carli Saraullo on in the third, a sac bunt moved her around to second. Caitlin Callahan singled to left with two outs and Saraullo tried to score from second, but Artz rifled in an outfield assist to end the inning and preserve the shutout.
The nightcap looked like it would be another Dutchmen win after LVC put three across in the fifth. Pitcher Val Malizzia singled and Meghan Donoghue walked. Lauren Sanford singled to left, but a fielding error by Lauren Brubaker allowed both baserunners to score. Two batters latter, Uhas knocked in Sanford for her team-best 19th RBI of the season with a single through the right side.
The Widener seventh started off ominously as Stephanie Caulford reached on Davies' error. After a strikeout, Saraullo walked to put two on, and Brubaker reached on a fielder's choice as Malizzia elected to throw out the lead runner at third. With two away, the Dutchmen looked to be on the verge of a sweep, but Elizabeth Kohan singled to load the bases and give Widener a chance.
On the next at-bat, Meg Phillips doubled to score two runs, and right after, Meyer went up the middle for her walk-off two-run single as Widener completed the improbable comebacker.
Malizzia struck out four and walked two, and none of her four runs surrendered were earned. Kim Dougherty earned the victory after allowing six hits and three runs - one earned - in a complete-game effort.
The Dutchmen will return home to host Kean University Thursday at 3 p.m.
