MILLERSVILLE, Pa. – The Millersville softball team kicked off its 2024 season with a doubleheader sweep against Goldey-Beacom, winning 2–0 in the first game and 8–4 in the second.
 
FIRST GAME
 
Alex Schaefer was the story of the first game for the Marauders, starting the season with a complete game shutout while only allowing five hits. The senior pitcher fanned eight batters and didn't allow a walk. Schaefer started the game allowing the first two Lightning to reach base, but quickly settled down, forcing a groundout, and striking out the last two batters to strand to Goldey-Beacom runners.
 
Both pitchers had strong outings, as Goldey-Beacom's Abigail O'Shields got through the first two innings with no damage. In the bottom of the third, the Marauders were able to get on the board first. Victoria Fuss started with a single to center, and after Jiana Maniscalco was hit by a pitch, Gabi Turner singled past the pitcher to score Fuss from second. Although the Marauders left two runners on base, Kendra Bumgardner hit a leadoff homerun in the top of the fourth to give the Marauders a 2–0 lead.
 
From that point on, Schaefer shut down the Lightning bats. She retired 12 straight batters from the top of the fourth to the top of the seventh before the Lightning got a hit with one out remaining, but Schaefer ended the game with a strikeout to give the Marauders a 2–0 win.

SECOND GAME
 
The Marauders bats came alive in the second game to secure a comeback win, scoring all eight runs in the final three innings. The Lightning scored first in the top of the first, starting the game with two straight doubles. Starting pitcher Morgan Crutcher was able to limit the damage, retiring the next three batters and having back-to-back three up, three down innings in the second and third.
 
Millersville's offense started to hum in the fourth, with Turner starting the inning with a double to left field. Gabby D'Ottavio was able to reach after she hit a ground ball back to the pitcher, but Turner was able to get back to second base safely due to a throwing error. Sam Fried laid down a bunt to advance the runners but was able to make it to first safely to load the bases with no outs. Marli Schreiner hit a sacrifice fly that forced the shortstop to make a difficult catch in the outfield, giving Turner the chance to score and Ellie Soucy to advance to third base after pinch running for D'Ottavio. Taylor Campagna pinch hit with runners on the corners and slapped a single to shallow center that the diving Lightning outfielder wasn't able to secure, clearing the bases and giving the Marauders a 3–1 lead.
 
Nicolina Pezzone entered the game to pitch for Millersville, but Goldey-Beacom answered the Marauders three-run inning with one of their own. Once the Lightning took the lead, Angelina Saverase came in and got the Marauders out of the inning while trailing by one. Millersville responded with another three-run inning to reclaim the lead. Bumgardner and Aleese Angelo got on base to start the inning, and after Turner moved them both to scoring position, D'Ottavio singled through the right side of the infield to score them both. Saverase followed that up with a single up the middle, and Hailey Watlington singled to center to score D'Ottavio and put the Marauders up 6–4.
 
Saverase shut down the Lightning bats the remainder of the game, as she'd finish with 2.1 innings pitched, two strikeouts, and just one hit allowed. In the bottom of the sixth, the Marauders got some insurance runs to put the game away. Bumgardner singled and advanced to second base off a throwing error by the catcher, Angelo drew a walk, and Turner hit an infield single to load the bases for D'Ottavio. She hit a grounder to the third baseman, but Angelo's slide into third base forced the ball loose, making everyone safe. After the following batter, Watlington battled back from being down in the count to forcing a walk, scoring Angelo and giving the Marauders an 8–4 lead they'd hold onto for the final score.
 
GAME NOTES

• With the two wins, the Marauders are now 21–8 against Goldey-Beacom after not playing the Lightning since 2020. 

POSTGAME REACTION FROM HEAD COACH JEN PROBST

• General thoughts on the wins: "I thought they were really great team wins. It was a huge step up on defense, especially after the last two years where we really struggled on defense. The pitchers did a great job. I can't say enough about how Saverase finished the game, and Kendra [Bumgardner] was on the ball all day today.
• On the pitching and hitting between the two games: "A win's a win. It's great to get one. But when we can challenge ourselves in different areas, seeing that we can win a tight game, or maybe not putting the offensive numbers up that we're capable of. But then also to win a game that goes back and forth shows me that we have a lot of fight, and we're not going to give up even if we go down in the middle of a game."

UP NEXT

• The Marauders host Bloomfield for a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 17 at Seaber Stadium.