Myrtle Beach, SC - The Lackawanna College Softball team entered their 2nd to last day of their spring break trip, having won 6 of the 9 games they played. The Lady Falcons had been getting dominant pitching from their staff and their offense was shaping up to be one of the best of the participating teams. In Friday's two games, they had rematches against Henry Ford College, who they beat in the 1st game of the week, 6-3 and Elgin Community College, who they beat yesterday, by a score of 9-0.
In game 1,
Courtney Hoffman got things started with a lead off walk. Two batters later, she would score the first run of the game on a
Gianna Telesco sacrifice fly.
Emma Stoker took the mound for Lackawanna and shutout Henry Wood the first 2 innings, by retiring the sides. In the top of the 3rd inning, Hoffman's bat came alive, as she hit a triple to center field, which scored
Chloe Fluharty, to give the Lady Falcons a 2-0 advantage. Hoffman would make it across the plate, on a
Gabrielle Vuocolo ground out, to end their half of the inning, leading 3-0. Stoker continued her shutout and her teammates would give her 2 more insurance runs in 5th and 6th innings, as
Gabrielle Vuocolo, again, drove in
Courtney Hoffman, and
Julianna Decker scored on a wild pitch. In the bottom of the 7th,
Emma Stoker forced Henry Wood into a game winning double play, to complete the 7 inning shutout.
While Lackawanna shutout out Elgin Community College yesterday, 9-0, today's game was much different. This was a low scoring game and a pitchers' dual for the first 4 innings.
Stephanie Kibbe got the start for the Lady Falcons and in 4 innings gave up 5 hits and had 2 strikeouts. In the top of the 5th,
Amaya Townsend relieved Kibbe, but Elgin would get on the board first, with 2 runs that were credited to Kibbe. Townsend eventually shutdown the rally, but Elgin had the 2-0 lead. However, Lackawanna answered Elgin with a rally of their own, in their half of the inning. With
Lexi Bruno and
Isabella Mandarano on base,
Courtney Hoffman came to the plate and hit an inside the park homerun, to give the Lady Falcons a 3-2 lead. That is all Townsend needed, as she finished out the game, giving Lackawanna the dramatic victory.
With the Friday sweep, the Lady Falcons, move to 8-3 on the season. They were led offensively on the day by
Courtney Hoffman who went 2-5, with 4 RBI's, a 3 run homerun and a triple, while scoring 4 times and
Lexi Bruno, who was 3-5 from the plate. The 3 Lackawanna pitchers gave up only 2 combined runs, on 9 hits and had 6 strikeouts.
Emma Stoker went the full 7 innings in her game 1 shutout. The Lady Falcons finish up tomorrow when they play the final 2 games of the trip, against Bergen Community College and Cumberland Community College.
