Kit Dewey
The softball team defeated The College of Misericordia twice in a double-header on Tuesday, April 17. During the first game, the Lady Cavaliers defeated the Lady Cougars 4-1 at the top of the seventh inning. The second game ended with an extra inning when Senior Megan Johnston, pitcher, stole home on an overthrow to third base at the top of the eighth inning bringing the score to 1-0.
According to Karen Pelkey, head coach of the Cabrini softball team, the two wins make it almost certain that the Lady Cavaliers will host the PAC Championships this year on their home field. A win today versus Immaculata College at 3 p.m. will seal the PACs on Cabrini soil.
A big mix of students, parents, faculty, staff and friends rooted on the Lady Cavaliers during the fifth time they boasted a home team advantage while four loyal fans traveled from Misericordia.
“Misericordia is always a big game,” Pelkey said. They are our rival in all sports.
During the first game, the Lady Cavaliers scored their first two runs in the first inning with freshman Lauren Cull and junior Heather Tu running home. Sophomore Brooke Peterdozzi brought home an RBI.
Both teams played top-defensive games until the top of the fifth inning when Sophomore Michelle Goff of Misericordia hit a homerun over left field. According to Pelkey, it was the first time that Johnston allowed a batter to hit one of her pitches for the last consecutive 50 innings that she pitched. “She’s in the NCAA Division III record book,” Pelkey said.
During the top of the fifth inning, Sophomore Shannon Murphy hit a double causing Freshman Megan Lee, left fielder for Misericordia to knock over the new white fence that surrounds the field. Later on in the inning, Johnston brought Murphy home with a triple bringing the score to 3-1. Then, Cull sent Johnston home, bringing the score to 4-1. Neither team scored for the duration of the game.
During the top of the sixth, Templin walked Lady Cougar Amber Lazorka, sophomore. Lazorka tried to steal during an overthrow pitch to the second batter but was chased down by Tu. Templin struck the next two batters out, culminating in another inning with only three players to take up bats.
At the end of the seventh inning, the score rested at 0-0. An extra inning was added to determine a winner. Misericordia batted first at the top of the eighth. Junior Anne Tesseyman hit a single. Tesseyman tried to steal second while the second batter was up, but was called out when catcher Melanie Klaus, junior, threw the ball to Tu, short stop. The second batter then hit a single. However, the third batter was out on a fly ball and the fourth batter hit to Lisa Jackson, senior who threw the ball to first base player Rita Horning, junior, for the third out.
During the bottom of the eighth inning, Megan Johnston stole home with only one out in the inning.
“We keep on climbing and getting stronger,” Pelkey said. “It’s a good sign.”
