DUE WEST, S.C. – The Chowan Softball team dropped a pair of one-run contests against defending Conference Carolinas regular season champion, Erskine, in league action on Monday.
THE BASICS
FINAL GAME ONE | Chowan 3, Erskine 4
FINAL GAME TWO | Chowan 3, Erskine 4 (8)
RECORDS | Chowan 5-18 (0-4), Erskine 6-13 (2-1)
LOCATION | Due West, S.C. (EC Softball Field)
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
Paige Wilhelm picked up three hits after going 2-3 in the nightcap. Haleigh Reid tallied two hits including a home run in the nightcap. Jesse Gentry collected her second home run of the season.
Hannah Eden tallied three RBI in the doubleheader. Ina Womack pitched 6.1 innings in game two allowing three runs (two earned) off five hits.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game One: Chowan 3, Erskine 4
Chowan went on the attack in the opening inning of the contest as Paige Wilhelm reached on an infield single. Wilhelm would swipe second and moved to third on an error allowing Meredith Morgan to reach. Hannah Eden produced a sacrifice fly to plate Wilhelm before an RBI ground out by Kaitlin Brunelli put the Hawks on top 2-0.
Erskine cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the third to trail 2-1. The Flying Fleet evened the score at 2-all in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Jesse Gentry handed the lead back to the Hawks to lead off the fifth inning with a solo home run to left field. Meredith Morgan doubled to left and Hannah Eden singled up the middle before being left stranded with a pair of runners in scoring position, 3-2.
In the bottom of the fifth, Erskine plated a run on a wild pitch to knot the score at 3-all.
The Fleet looked to plate the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth inning as a lead-off walk was issued. Bailey Wilcox played her position perfectly to get a pop-up. Wilcox dove to make the catch and fired over to first to get the double-play and end the threat.
Erskine would plate the winning run in the bottom of the seventh as a miscue in the outfield allowed the runner to score from second on an error.
Game Two:
Erskine used a small-ball approach to plate the opening run of the contest in the bottom of the first inning to lead 1-0.
Haleigh Reid would lead off the second inning with a solo blast to left field to even the score. Kaitlin Brunelli drew a walk before moving over to third on a ground out and wild pitch prior to being left stranded.
The Flying Fleet used a home run and an error in the bottom of the second to regain the lead 3-1.
Elizabeth Heller led off the third with a single to left field before swiping second. Paige Wilhelm drew a walk prior to a double steal attempt that was thwarted as Heller was thrown out at third. Hannah Eden doubled home Wilhelm to cut the deficit to 3-2. Haleigh Reid picked up a single and Kaitlin Brunelli drew a walk to load the bases with two-outs.
Chowan continued to rally in the fifth inning as Paige Wilhelm hit a single to right and moved over to third on a wild pitch and a groundout. Wilhelm came in to score on Hannah Eden's sacrifice fly to center to even the score at 3-all.
Erskine looked to plate the go-ahead run in the bottom of the fifth as a throw to the plate ended in a rundown getting the runner in an 8-2-5-2 putout.
Kaitlin Brunelli nearly gave the Hawks the lead in the top of the sixth inning, lacing the first pitch of the inning off the left center fence. Courtney Lamb put down a sacrifice bunt to move pinch-runner, Serena Riley, over to third. The Hawks would fail to plate the run in the inning.
Paige Wilhelm opened up the seventh inning with a one-out single to right field. Hannah Eden would draw a two-out walk to push Wilhelm into scoring position before being left stranded following an eight pitch at-bat by Haleigh Reid.
In the top of the eighth, the Hawks started the inning with a runner on second before Courtney Lamb drew a walk. Chowan was unable to scratch across a run in the frame.
Erskine would take advantage of another Chowan miscue late to plate the placed runner at second to take the 4-3 victory.
UP NEXT
Chowan comes home to host Belmont Abbey and Converse in a Conference Carolinas weekend with first pitch scheduled for 1pm on Friday, March 25 against the Crusaders.
