3/9/23

MYRTLE BEACH, SC -- Lackawanna College softball had a doubleheader on Thursday night in Myrtle Beach, falling 8-4 to Madonna University in game one, and held a 14-5 lead against Henry Ford CC in the top of the fifth inning in game two.
 
The Falcons (4-5) held three separate leads throughout the game against Madonna, but the Crusaders used a five-run sixth inning to blow things open and knock the Falcons off 8-4 in the first game of the evening. The Falcons were outhit 10-9, and committed a pair of errors that led to two runs scoring. Sophia Mandarano (Dunmore, PA) was 2-for-2 with two runs scored, an RBI, and a double, while Gwen Balavage (Avoca, PA) was 2-for-2 with two RBI, and Madison Maloney (Scranton, PA) was 2-for-4 with a run scored.  Allyson Lemerise (Catonsville, MD) got tagged with the loss, giving up eight runs, six earned, on ten hits in 5.1 innings pitched.
 
A leadoff single for Maloney in the top of the first was wasted by Lacakwanna College, and a leadoff double from Madonna in the bottom frame was similarly wasted by the Crusaders, as Lemerise and company danced out of trouble. A one-out walk from Mandarano, followed by a double from Emilee Dickinson (Hillsboro, OR), put runners in scoring position. Balavage brought Mandarano home with a sac fly to center, but a strikeout ended the inning before the Falcons could get any more.
 
Madonna got a run back in the bottom of the second, getting a leadoff walk and a pair of one-out walks to load the bases, then using a sac fly to right field to tie things up at 1-all. A fielder's choice ended the scoring threat for the Crusaders.
 
Madonna added another run in the bottom of the third, taking advantage of a leadoff double with a one-out RBI single to make it 2-1, Crusaders. The Falcons got out of the inning with a nifty 5-4-3 double play to end the threat.
 
A leadoff walk started the top of the fourth for the Falcons, and a one-out double from Mandarano scored the run and tied things up at 2-apiece. A groundout put two away, but advanced Mandarano to third, and she came home on an RBI single from Balavage to put the Falcons in front at 3-2.
 
The Crusaders scored in the bottom of the fourth, bringing a run home on a two-on, two-out error in the infield that tied the game at 3-3. The Falcons answered with a run in the top of the fifth, when Maloney, after a single and some nifty base running got her to third, scored on a line out from Skylar Borthwick (Pittston, PA) that made it 4-3, Falcons.
 
In the top of the sixth, Lackawanna College had a golden opportunity, when Balavage and Riley Ernst (Youngville, NY) got back-to-back singles with two outs and had runners on the corners. However, a groundout to pitcher ended the threat with the Falcons still ahead by one.
 
Madonna really got things going in the bottom of the sixth, using three straight singles and a walk with the bases loaded to get the tying run across, all with nobody out. A sac fly to left brought the go-ahead run home for the Crusaders, a walk loaded the bases, then a single and an error at second combined to bring in three more runs and blow the game open at 8-4, Madonna. The Falcons managed to get out of the inning before more runs could get scored, but the damage was done, and Lackawanna went quietly in the top of the seventh to close things out.
 
In game two, the Falcons offense finally got on track with some consistency, as Lackawanna battered the Hawks from Henry Ford with an eight-run fifth inning to secure a run-rule victory at 14-5 in just five innings on Thursday evening.
 
The Falcons did not waste their opportunities, pounding out 13 hits, and only leaving seven on-base through the game. Lackawanna was led by Madison Maloney (Scranton, PA), who went 2-for-3 with four RBI and a run scored, while Madison McVicar (Blakely, PA) went 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored, and Krista Scoblick (Harvey's Lake, PA) was 1-for-4 with two RBI on a triple. Alivia Graber (North Syracuse, NY) settled in after a shaky first three innings to get the win, giving up five runs on eight hits in five innings, striking out five batters.
 
The Hawks from Henry Ford started the scoring in the bottom of the first, using a one-out single to get a base runner, then cashing in with an RBI single to left to make it 1-0. Another single put two on with one out, but Graber managed to get two straight outs to get out of the inning before more damage could be done.
 
Emilee Dickinson (Hillsboro, OR) reached in the top of the second due to an error at first, and a one-out walk put two on with one out. After a fly out put two away, Kira Ryan (Alburtis, PA) reached on an error at second, which set up Maloney to drive home a two-run single to center that made it 2-1, Falcons. Ryan and Maloney each stole a base to put themselves in scoring position, but a foul-tip ended the scoring threat.
 
The Falcons came back for more in the top of the third, taking advantage of another error to get a base runner with one out, and then two more errors that allowed two more runs to come across and made it 4-1, Lackawanna.
 
Henry Ford wouldn't go quietly, as the Hawks got a leadoff single, followed by a walk and an RBI single, to cut things to 4-2. A wild pitch allowed another run to come across, and a two-out RBI single tied things up at 4. Graber couldn't get out just yet, as another single loaded the bases with two away, and a passed ball allowed the Hawks to take a 5-4 lead. Graber managed to get a line out to end the threat.
 
Lackawanna had an immediate response, when Ryan singled and stole second to immediately get into scoring position. A one-out single from Savannah Glover (Susquehanna, PA) brought Ryan home and tied the game at five, then a two-out single from McVicar, coupled with an error on the second baseman, brought home Glover to make it 6-5, Falcons.
 
Graber got a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom fourth to boost the Falcons, and Lackawanna made the Hawks pay in the top of the fifth. A one-out single from Skylar Borthwick (Pittston, PA) got things started, and, soon enough, the bases were loaded with Falcons and just one out. A passed ball allowed the first run to score and make it 7-5, then Maloney promptly singled up the middle to drive two more home. An error let Glover on base, and Scoblick stepped in and ripped a triple to right field, bringing Maloney and Glover home to make it 11-5, Falcons. McVicar followed with a one-run double, then Dickinson did the same. Aria Reyes (Allentown, PA) made it 14-5 with an RBI single of her own, and Riley Ernst (Youngsville, NY) followed with a single of her own to keep the inning alive, but the Hawks mercifully got out of the jam with back-to-back outs to end the inning.
 
Now, suddenly needing to score to keep the game going, Henry Ford couldn't muster any offense, as Graber shut down the lineup and retired the side in order to give the Falcons the much-needed win in five innings.
 
The Falcons have one more doubleheader scheduled for their Spring Break trip, as the Falcons take on Lincoln Trail at 11:00am ET on Friday, and then Lake Land College at 3:00pm ET.