3/7/25
 
NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SC – Lackawanna College softball finally got the offensive breakout it was looking for in its final day down south, as the Falcons won game two of their doubleheader, 9-4, over Southern Maine CC, earning a split on the day at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic in South Carolina. Lackawanna lost its first game to Kaskaskia, 8-3.
 
The Falcons (4-6) scored seven runs in a runaway bottom of the first inning against the Seawolves (2-4) from Maine, plating seven runs on six hits and an error. The big moments came when Mia Scalese (Moscow, PA) singled home the first run, then Gracie Sokol (Belle Vernon, PA) reached on an error by the shortstop, which allowed an extra run to come home that made it 3-0, Falcons. Another key moment came when the Falcons put up back-to-back doubles from Isabella Rodriguez (Lancaster, PA) and Emmalee Mowery (Mechanicsburg, PA) to plate three more runs with two outs, pushing the Lackawanna advantage to 7-0 after one inning of play.
 
The Seawolves wouldn't go quietly, scoring a run in the top of the second on a two-out single, then scoring another run in the third on an RBI ground out. A sac fly from Rodriguez made it 8-2, Lackawanna, in the third, but Southern Maine answered I the top of the fifth with a two-out RBI single to left that cut their deficit to 8-3.
 
Jillian Heimberger (Unionville, PA) got in on the fun in the bottom of the fifth, singling to center to score Rodriguez to push Lackawanna's lead out to 9-3 heading into the final two innings.
 
Starter Brianna Dinice (Terryville, CT) gave up one more run, this scoring because of an error on the infield, but got out of trouble and shut the door when Mowery made a spectacular catch, sprinting to her right to snag a diving line drive of a ball that had extra-bases written all over it. The catch ended the game with two runners in scoring position and snuffed out a potential rally for the Seawolves.
 
Dinice pitched seven innings, giving up four runs, three earned, on six hits and a strikeout. She picked up her third win of the year. Mowery and Lindsey Tasker (Clarks Summit, PA) each had three hits. Tasker scored a pair of runs, while Mowery drove in a pair and scored another. Scalese was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, while Rodriguez was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI at the bottom of the lineup.
 
It was a win the Falcons desperately wanted, after floundering in the first game of the day against Kaskaskia.
 
Facing off with the Blue Angels for the second time in less than 24 hours, Lackawanna was plagued by errors, committing four on the day. Scalese was the starter, and she gave up eight runs, five earned, on 13 hits in seven innings.
 
Kaskaskia (7-2) got things going in the top of the second inning with a two-out single to get a baserunner. A single scored that first run, and an error on the throw in let the batter get to second. Kaskaskia didn't miss a beat, roping a single to right field and scoring that run to make it 2-0. Scalese managed to strand runners on the corners with a fly out to get out of trouble.
 
Lackawanna College had a chance to try to get back into the game in the bottom of the third. Mowery singled with two outs and got to second on a wild pitch. Heimberger reached on a walk to put two on, but Scalese struck out, unable to help herself out.
 
The Blue Angels would make the Falcons pay in the top of the fourth. Back-to-back singles put runners on the corners. A stolen base put them in scoring position, and a bunt up the first base side scored a run to make it 3-0. It was a play that worked so well, Kaskaskia did it again, stealing second and bunting down the first base side to bring home another run and make it 4-0. The Blue Angels tried it a third straight time, but this bunt attempt was lined towards Scalese, who made the grab for the first out. A fielder's choice forced a play at the plate for the second out, and it looked like Lackawanna might escape without too much trouble. However, a single and an error on the subsequent play at the plate let two more runs score, pushing Kaskaskia's advantage to 6-0 after 3.5 innings.
 
Sokol got the Falcons on base to lead off the bottom frame with a single, and Laniah Tasker (Chambersburg, PA) blooped a single to right field to put two on with nobody out. A ground out moved both runners over, and Lindsey Tasker delivered an RBI single to center to score Sokol and get Lackawanna on the board. A pitching change came for Kaskaskia, and Kizbelth Ortiz (New Britain, CT) grounded out to force home a run and make it 6-2. Unfortunately, the Falcons couldn't get any more, and the game was 6-2, Kaskaskia, after four.
 
An error with one out let a runner aboard, and Kaskaskia immediately pounced, tripling to left on a ball well over the outfield's head, scoring a runner to make it 7-2. A sac fly to right scored another run, and the Blue Angels had runners on the corners with two outs before Scalese induced the ground ball to short for the out.
 
Lackawanna got a run back in the bottom of the fifth, getting two on with nobody out. They had runners at second and third with two gone, when Laniah Tasker singled to left field to score Heimberger and make it an 8-3 deficit. Once again, however, the Falcons wouldn't be able to capitalize on two runners on base, grounding out to end the inning and strand the runners.
 
Lindsey Tasker reached on a lead off single in the bottom of the sixth, but a line drive double play cut that potential rally short. Kaskaskia got a runner to second base because of an error in right, and a single to center threatened to score that run, but an excellent throw from Mowery to Laniah Tasker at the plate got the runner in time and saved the run.
 
Needing five runs in the bottom of the seventh, the Falcons had runners on the corners with two away, but a ground out to the right side ended the inning and game one.
 
Scalese picked up her third loss of the season. Mowery was 2-for-4, while Lindsey Tasker went 2-for-3 with an RBI, and Laniah Tasker was 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI.
 
The Falcons have finished their spring break trip with a 4-6 record, splitting four of five doubleheaders they played throughout the week. Lackawanna has some time away to heal up before the Falcons hit the road next Saturday, March 15^th, for a doubleheader at WVU Potomac State in Keyser, WV. First pitch of the twin bill is set for 12:00pm ET.