The softball team continued to dominate last weekend by gaining its first two-game sweep over a Colonial States Athletic Conference competitor.
On Saturday, March 28, the women’s softball team crushed Baptist Bible College in a 10-0 victory with junior pitcher Liz Zimmer holding a no-hitter in game one.
Zimmer pitched five innings, striking out three batters.
This boosted her season ERA to 4.18 and overall record to 4-5.
Zimmer acknowledged that while her no-hitter was a feat, it was not the sole reasoning for the team’s victory.
“The no-hitter is more of a team thing considering if the team didn’t play such great defense then it would have been a different outcome,” Zimmer said. “The team had some really hot bats, which makes it easier on everyone in the field, because it lets us play more relaxed. All around everyone played a key role, which makes winning games a lot more fun.”
The offense added to the victory by providing a nine-run lead after three innings. Zimmer and freshman Angela Shookster each contributed two runs.
“Our offense was able to string hits together and our defense was able to play a strong game with little errors,” Mary Kate Smith, junior criminology major, said.
Sophomore Susan Schmidt contributed a bases-loaded RBI single in the second inning. Freshman Sammy Thompson also had an RBI single in the third, when Zimmer stole home causing the lead to reach 9-0.
Shookster gained her third homerun of the season in the fourth inning in her first season with the Cavaliers. Junior exercise science major Cheri Johns pitched game two when the girls earned a 7-4 win, striking out seven. This marked her fourth win of the season.
Freshman Ryan McDonough, senior Kristie Sandefur and Shookster each contributed doubles causing the team to lead 2-0 after the first inning.
“Ryan, who has really come together as a key player at second, had a great day in the field,” Zimmer said.
Also contributing to the victory was Thompson’s run with an RBI single, sophomore Leslie Farrell stealing home, senior Melissa Benedetti pushing home a run with a single and sophomore Pam Mechling driving in two runs with a double to left field.
“These games showed how we are able to play together as a team,” Smith said. “Hopefully we can use that in future games.”
“I think that we are going to be able to come out stronger [from now on] considering we now know what happens when we do come out at our level,” Zimmer said. “It shows other teams how strong our defense really is and that we are a strong team.”
The team earned a split againt Philadelphia Biblical University on Friday, March 27. After dropping the first game by a score of 6-3, the Cavaliers dominated the Colonial States Athletic Conference opponent 12-4 in the second game.
“There were a lot less errors in [the second] game,” Kerri MacNeal, junior psychology and history major, said. “Everyone contributed to the win. It was a big win and we definitely needed it.”
The team’s victory was helped by senior Kristie Sandefur’s three RBI and nine other players collecting at least one base hit.
“This game shows that we are capable of winning the second game,” Sammy Thompson, exercise science major, said. “There’s no reason that if we play the way we did that we can’t take two.”
Shookster dominated at the plate going 3-for-3. Shookster also gained two RBI and one run for team.
“Ange had an awesome day at the plate,” Ryan McDonough, freshman graphic designer major, said. “[She] hit another home run.”
Benedetti and McDonough expanded the team’s win by two runs each.
Not only did freshmen Thompson and Lauren Alessi each score two runs, but the pair also each drove in another.
“You can’t win if you don’t score,” Johns, said. “So it’s definitely reassuring to have the bats to be able to help out the strong defense we typically have.”
Johns pitched seven innings and struck out two batters.
She went 2-for-2 at the plate, scoring two runs.
“Cheri pitched an awesome game. They had a tough time hitting her,” MacNeal said. “When they did, our defense was behind her and made the outs.”
Zimmer pitched six innings in game two, striking out five batters.
“If we play every game the rest of the season the way we played the second game today, we will do great,” McDonough said. “We just need to stay focused on winning one game at a time.”
MacNeal agreed.
“These games were proof that with teamwork and confidence we can take two from any team. We just need to keep our game up from the first pitch of the first game continuing into the last pitch of the second game,” MacNeal said. “[We fulfilled] our goals that we set before the first game and being able to say we reached our goals was great.”
