Following numerous postponements due to inclement weather, the Morrisville State College softball team resumed the season action Wednesday afternoon, April 5, as they opened North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) play on their home field in a twin bill against rival Cazenovia College.
Cazenovia, using strong pitching, good defense and timely hitting, collected two wins over the Mustangs, posting scores of 5-0 and 13-3 (five innings) as Morrisville State fell to 0-8 to date on the season, and the Wildcats improved to 4-8 overall and 2-0 in conference play.
In the first of the day’s action, Cazenovia junior Kelsey Morgan tied the school record for most strike outs in a game with 12. Morgan picked up her third win of the season pitching seven strong innings allowing on four hits. Senior Taylor Spranger and junior Kelsey Schuette finished with three hits apiece for the Wildcats. Spranger led the Wildcats with two RBIs. The Wildcats had five different players score runs in game one.
Four different Morrisville State batters recorded hits on the day, all going 1-for-3 from the plate. Amanda Labe collected a double in the sixth inning, while teammates Bailey Dillabough and Erika Kenney each posted a single of their own in the bottom of the seventh.
Morrisville’s Allison McGuire recorded the loss on the mound, throwing four innings and allowing three earned runs on eight hits. Kenney threw the final three innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits, while registering a strikeout.
Both teams were scoreless until Cazenovia broke through in the top of the third with two runs after loading the bases. The Wildcats sealed the win with one run apiece in each of the final three innings to capture the 5-0 NEAC victory.
In the nightcap, Cazenovia buried Morrisville State early on, exploding at the plate for eight first-inning runs, adding another in the top of the second for the 9-0 early lead. Morgan led the Wildcats at the plate as she finished with 2 hits and 4 RBIs. Morrisville State, however, responded in the bottom of the second with three scores of their own, recording two straight hits to place runners on base, before loading the bases and getting RBI at bats from the top of their lineup. Both RBI’s came off the bats of Labe and Paula Conklin, who each had singles to left field.
Cazenovia added two runs in the third and another two in the fourth, before Morrisville State attempted a rally in the bottom of the inning. The Mustangs recorded four straight hits from the plate, but were unable to reach home as the Wildcat defense held off their attempt.
