SELINSGROVE, PA - Susquehanna softball made a triumphant return home Monday playing host to Messiah in a non-conference doubleheader. Led by eight strikeouts from starter
Brianna Jones, the River Hawks took game one 6-1 over the Falcons. They then used late-inning heroics with two runs in the fifth and five in the sixth to erase a 6-2 deficit and win the nightcap, 9-7.
SUSQUEHANNA 6, MESSIAH 1
- The opening game moved briskly through the first three innings. That was before Susquehanna got two runs in the bottom of the third.
- Elle Walasavage opened the inning with a leadoff walk. She made her way to third over the next two at bats, leading to a Sydney Perez RBI single. One batter later Amanda Amerman brought home Stevie Shaak from third on a groundout.
- The Falcons got one run in the top of the fourth, but the River Hawks made up for it with four runs in the bottom half.
- Pitcher Brianna Jones, who by this point had six strikeouts and struck out the side in the third, singled with two runners on to bring home a run. Her hit to center field was misfielded by the center fielder, which went to the wall and led Jones to score a three-run inside the park home run.
- Amerman again contributed a run, reaching on a fielder's choice with the bases loaded to score catcher Maddy Devine.
- Jones shut out the Falcons the remaining three innings, adding two more K's to her day as she finished with eight, bringing her career total to 289 career strikeouts.
- Susquehanna managed eight hits, with Perez batting 2-for-3 with one RBI and one walk. Devine, Shaak, Savannah Petrone, Jones, Alyssa Mayorca and Kaylee Smallen each had singles.
SUSQUEHANNA 9, MESSIAH 7
- Messiah scored first on an Allie Book RBI single, though the River Hawks countered with two of their own in the bottom half when Amanda Amerman's groundout to short scored Stevie Shaak from third. Alyssa Mayorca singled to left field tom bring home Sydney Perez to lead 2-1.
- The Falcons broke the game open with a five-run third, collecting five runs on six hits.
- Brooke Allen got the start for Susquehanna in game two, striking out two and allowing nine hits with five earned runs through 2.1 innings of work before Piper Wright came on to get the final two outs in the third.
- The game remained 6-2 going into the bottom of the fifth. With the sun quickly setting, the River Hawks got two runs back as Shaak doubled to right center to bring home a pair of runs.
- Messiah managed one run in the top of the sixth to lead 7-4, though had to face the middle of the SU lineup in the bottom half.
- An error at third base led to Katelyn Dugery getting on for Susquehanna to lead off the bottom of the sixth.
- With runners on the corners, the River Hawks implemented the double steal as Kaylee Smallen took off from first to second. As the catcher threw over to second, Alyssa Mayorca dashed home and got in under the tag to cut the lead to 7-5.
- Julia LaRose made it 7-6 after an RBI single to bring home Smallen.
- A wild pitch during Stevie Shaak's at bat led Mya Morales to score to tie the game at seven all.
- The bases were now loaded for Sydney Perez, the team's leader in batting average entering Monday. She came in clutch with an RBI single to left. Amerman added an insurance run on the next at bat with a sacrifice fly to center.
- Wright stayed in the circle to get the last three outs in the top of the seventh. With it close to being dark, she wasted no time as she set the Falcons down in order, including getting the last of her four strikeouts on the day to get her second win of the campaign.
- In a game laced with errors, Susquehanna needed just eight hits for the win, while Messiah had 11. Shaak was the only River Hawk with a multi-hit game, batting 2-for-3 with one double. LaRose, Perez, Dugery, Mayorca, Smallen and Walasavage all collected one hit. Mayorca also had two stolen bases.
UP NEXT FOR THE RIVER HAWKS
- Susquehanna continues its homestand welcoming Moravian this Saturday for a Landmark doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
- The River Hawks remain home through next Tuesday, April 7, welcoming Lycoming for a twinbill starting at 3 p.m.
