Softball News
Softball sweep doubleheader against Defiance College
The Centre College softball team beat Defiance College in a doubleheader match up Friday, March 9 at Millenium Park in Danville, Ky. Centre won the opener 5-4 and beat Defiance again in the nightcap, 7-6.
Defiance looked ready to play a long game as it opened up the scoring in the first inning scoring one run. Senior Cate Guthrie (Castaliean Springs, Tenn.) batted in junior Lindsey Willett (Louisville, Ky.) off a home run to start the scoring for the Colonels.
Defiance scored twice in the top of the third after a home run got two players around the bases to give them the lead, 3-2. After shutting Centre out in the bottom of the third, Defiance scored again in the top of the fourth. Centre retaliated in the bottom of the fourth as sophomore Rebecca Rhule (Versailles, Ky.) drove junior Laura Hufnagle (Lexington, Ky.) home to get back on the scoreboard. Centre struck in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game 4-4. Sophomore Jennifer Marees (Jacksonville, Fla.) stepped in to pinch run for freshmen Tyler Travis (Lexington, Ky.), who singled to start off the inning. Marees worked her way around the bases and got home and tied the game, off a sacrificed fly by freshmen Amber Mills (Danville, Ky.). Centre shut out Defiance in the top of the seventh and took the game after Rhule doubled and got Hufnagle home for the win.
Senior Carolyn Besl (Maineville, Ohio) pitched the first four innings for the Colonels. After two strikeouts, she allowed only three runs off seven hits. Freshmen Charlotte Jones (Lexington, Ky.) replaced Besl in the fourth and also came away with two strikeouts. Jones allowed only one hit and one run while on the mound.
Centre started the scoring in the nightcap as they went up 2-0 in the bottom of the first. Junior Julia Hubbard (Louisville, Ky.) batted home Guthrie while Rhule drove Hufnagle in to take the lead. Centre stepped up again in the third to increase the lead to 4-0 when Hufnagle doubled deep to left field to get junior Maggie Blackburn (Lexington, Ky.) home. Rhule then batted in Guthrie for another run. Centre's defense looked good until the top of the fourth when Defiance stole a run to make it 4-1.
Centre looked to finish the game in the bottom of the fifth when they scored three more runs to increase the lead to 7-1. Hufnagle again batted in Guthrie for a run. Willett ran the bases for Hufnagle and worked her way around the bases finally stealing home. Rhule batted in Hubbard for the final run of the inning.
Defiance attempted to comeback in the final two innings, scoring two runs in the top of the sixth and shutting out Centre in the bottom. Stepping up in the seventh, Defiance drove in three more runs to tighten up the game at 7-6. Centre's defense ended the Defiance threat with some smart fielding and took the win.
Freshmen Taylor Bottoms (Harrodsburg, Ky.) started on the mound for the Colonels and pitched six innings. She allowed only three runs off seven hits and had one strike out before she was replaced by Hubbard in the seventh. Hubbard allowed three runs off four hits.
Four players had multiple hit games for Centre and two players, Hufnagle and Rhule, added multiple RBI's to their stats.
Centre improves to 5-2 on the season and will host Hanover College Saturday, March 10 in a doubleheader match up. |
