MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - A three-run home run from freshman
Gabi Turner and complete-game effort from
Emma Bevard led Millersville to a 4-3, season-opening win over Le Moyne Friday. Then, Turner tossed four innings for the win as Millersville rolled 9-1 past Southern Connecticut State.
Bevard, Turner and game two reliever
Maddie Guinane combined to allow just one earned run over the 12 innings. In addition to Turner's homer against Le Moyne,
Brianna Battavio went 3-for-4 with a solo homer and two RBIs against Southern Connecticut State.
RECAP: MILLERSVILLE 4, LE MOYNE 3
• Millersville fell behind 2-0 after Le Moyne scratched across two unearned runs in the fourth and was down to its final four outs when
Hunter Little and Battavio were hit by pitches in back-to-back plate appearances in the sixth. Turner made Le Moyne pay for the free bases with her first career homer, which put Millersville in front, 3-2.
• Bevard worked a 1-2-3 sixth with a pair of strikeouts, and in the top of the seventh, freshman
Karysa Karas singled home
Alexis Staniec, who had reached on a walk and moved into scoring position on a
Devan Masciulli single. That run proved key as Le Moyne threatened in the bottom of the inning.
• Back-to-back singles started Le Moyne's seventh, and a bunt moved the runners into scoring position. A Millersville error allowed a run to score, and another single put the game-winning run on base. But Bevard got back-to-back pop ups from Le Moyne's No. 2 and No. 3 hitters, closing the win for the Marauders.
• Le Moyne out-hit the Marauders 8-4, but Millersville hitters drew four walks and were hit by three pitches. Karas went 2-for-4. Little reached base twice and scored a run.
• Bevard earned the 19th win of her career, allowing three unearned runs with six strikeouts.
RECAP: MILLERSVILLE 9, SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT STATE 1 (5 INN.)
• Millersville scored nine unanswered runs to put an early end to its second win of the day. The Marauders totaled 12 hits including three from Battavio and two from Turner.
• All of Millersville's damage was done in the third and fifth innings. Millersville strung together seven-consecutive hits an a four-run third that included an RBI single from Karas, a two-run double from Little and an RBI double from Battavio. Battavio led off the fifth with a solo homer, and then Millersville took advantage of a pair of Southern Connecticut State errors. Staniec drove in a run with a double and Little added her second RBI of the game.
• Turner worked the first four innings, allowing one run on seven hits with two strikeouts. Guinane pitched a scoreless fifth with a strikeout.
POSTGAME REACTION FROM COACH JEN PROBST
•
On the performance of the freshmen: "The rookies came ready to play. Gabi made a great adjustment from her previous at bat, and you could just feel she was about to do something big."
•
On Bevard's ability to pitch out of tough spots: "Emma mixed pitches really well today, and there is no tougher moment than at the end of that game. It was a 3-0 count, and she came back with three solid curve balls to end the game. It was a great moment for her and our defense."
•
On starting 2-0: "A 2-0 start is great but doesn't change much. When we wake up we are going to go to work like it's the first game of the season--pitch-by-pitch."
NOTES
• Millersville has started 2-0 for the second time in the last three seasons.
• Millersville improved to 4-1 all-time against Le Moyne. Friday's game marked the first meeting between the programs since 1989. Millersville and Southern Connecticut State met for the second time ever and for the first time since 2008.
• Bevard is one win away from tying for 10th on Millersville's career wins list.
UP NEXT
• Millersville is back on Saturday for two more in Myrtle Beach. Millersville plays W.Va. State at 10 a.m., and Goldey-Beacom at 12 p.m.
