Another 1-1 Day for Softball in Florida

Monday, March 8

Clermont, Fla.

9:30 a.m.

Millersville University

Post University

Courtney Eckman vs. Saint Joseph's (Ind.) 3/7/10

Another 1-1 Day for Softball in Florida

3/8/2010 4:31:34 PM | Softball

Box Score vs. Post University

Box Score vs. #22 Wayne State College

Clermont, Fla. — For the third straight day the Millersville softball team played to a split on its Spring Break trip. The Marauders pounced on Post University early, coasting to a 10-2 win. Immediately following the win, the ladies switched fields and absorbed a 2-0 loss to No. 22 Wayne State (Neb.), bringing to an end a 1-1 Monday of action at the National Training Center.

In each of their three days in the Sunshine State the Marauders (3-3) have won the first game of the day only to fall in the late game. Monday would be no different. Nine runs over the first four innings allowed Millersville to rout Post.

In its first at-bats of the morning Millersville got two hits and a hit batter to open up a 2-0 lead. Kelly Fitzgerald picked up right where she left off on Sunday by knocking in the first run via a groundout and Casey Coker followed later in the inning with an RBI single.

The Eagles (0-3) got one of the runs back in the bottom half of the first on a run-scoring double from Amy Mantha. The small Connecticut school could not match offense with the Black and Gold though as Millersville proceeded to score two runs in the second and five in the fourth to open a 9-1 lead.

Freshman Jamie Motsko capped off the win by slapping her second home run in as many days to lead off the sixth. The round-tripper gave the Marauders their first 10-run game of the young season.

Sarah Signore (1-0) picked up her first win as a Marauder by throwing four innings and allowing two runs. She struck out three in the contest. Stephanie Carrillo (0-2) took the loss by giving up nine of the ten Millersville runs (six earned) in four innings.

The game against nationally-ranked Wayne State (7-2) was a pitcher's duel all the way, but the Marauders gave up an unearned run in the sixth and another in the seventh in the 2-0 defeat. The pitching duo of Amber Baird and Katie Goetzinger combined to no-hit the Marauders.

Baird (5-0) went six innings and struck out eight for her fifth win in as many decisions. She was relieved by Goetzinger who threw a perfect seventh for the save.

Millersville got runners to first and second with one out in the bottom of the fourth after Baird surrendered back-to-back walks to Ally Homa and Motsko. Baird would get Fitzgerald to ground into a fielder's choice and induce Coker into an inning-ending groundout to escape the threat.

Twice Millersville came within mere inches of breaking up the no-hit bid. Right before the pair of walks, Lindsay Hosier led off the fourth inning with a shot to the right side of the infield. Wildcats' second baseman Blaire Kuhl dove to her left to spear the ball and flip it onto first in time.

In the seventh Fitzgerald connected on a ball that looked to be headed through the left side. Unfortunately for the Marauders, WSC shortstop Sarah Gottschalk —who was in the game for her defense— dove to her right and knocked the ball down and then fired from one knee to get the MU catcher by a step.

Wayne State broke the scoreless game in the top of the sixth as Amy Sandstrom singled, stole second, got sacrificed to third, and scored on a passed ball. The Wildcats added another run on an RBI single by Sandstrom in the seventh.

Lost in the shuffle of Wayne State's combined no-hitter was the performance from Millersville's two pitchers. Freshman Alicia Hughes started the game, but was removed after recording an out. Courtney Eckman (1-1) came in to throw five innings of solid ball for MU. Eckman did not register a strikeout, but she did not walk a batter, either. She allowed just three hits, but ended up the tough-luck loser as she was responsible for Sandstrom's run in the sixth, even though it goes into the books unearned. Hughes would re-enter the game to relieve Eckman and the rookie gave up the other run in the final frame.

Millersville has already matched its win total from this trip a season ago. The team gets a much needed day off before returning to the field for match-ups with Winona State and Belmont Abbey. Game times are set for 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Due to software issues, live stats may not be available for the remaining Florida games, but fans can still follow inning-by-inning score updates and get text message alerts following the game by logging on to www.millersvilleathletics.com.