Softball News
Softball drops doubleheader to Thomas More College
The Centre College softball team dropped two games to Thomas More College Wednesday, March 13, at Millenium Park in Danville, Ky. After losing the opener 9-2, Centre fought hard in the nightcap but lost after Thomas More scored three runs in the seventh to come from behind and win 5-4.
Thomas More caught the Centre defense sleeping as it scored two runs in the first inning. Determined to keep the game close, Centre scored in the bottom of the first to cut Thomas More's lead by one when junior Laura Hufnagle (Lexington, Ky.) batted home junior Maggie Blackburn (Lexington, Ky.). Centre shut Thomas More out in the top of the second and tied the game in the bottom when freshmen Amber Mills (Danville, Ky.) singled, giving junior Monica Vonderbrink (Danville, Ky.) the chance to get home. Thomas More rallied in the top of the third, however, and posted four runs to take the lead back. Senior Kim Kreimer homered to get two runs in and sophomore Kaycee Bischoff had a triple that also sent two runners home for the Saints.
Centre had trouble with its offense as it only posted two hits the rest of the game, neither resulting in a run. Thomas More took advantage of the silent Centre offense and went to work on the defense. In the top of the fifth Thomas More added three more runs, slowly pulling away from Centre.
Freshmen Charlotte Jones (Lexington, Ky.) pitched the first three innings for Centre, allowing six runs off nine hits along with one strikeout. Freshmen Tyler Travis (Lexington, Ky.) came in as relief in the fourth to finish the game. She had one strikeout and allowed only three hits and three runs.
The Centre bats were quiet the whole game as six Centre players were struck out. Blackburn was the only player to post a multiple hit game.
Hoping to redeem themselves in the nightcap, Centre scored in the bottom of the first when senior Cate Guthrie (Castaliean Springs, Tenn.) sacrificed an out to get Mills home. The Centre defense looked better this game as they kept Thomas More shutout for the first five innings. Centre looked to increase its lead and in the bottom of the fourth scored three more runs, going up 4-0. Sophomore Rebecca Rhule (Versailles, Ky.) tripled to right field getting Travis and Hufnagle the opportunity to get home. Junior Courtney Frye (Danville, Ky.) then drove in Rhule for the final run of the inning. Feeling confident with the lead, Centre slipped when Thomas More scored two runs in the sixth when Thomas More's Jenna Kelsch homered. The Centre defense was not able to hold the pushing Thomas More offense and in the top of the seventh, they lost the lead when Thomas More posted three runs to come form behind and claim the game, 5-4.
Senior Carolyn Besl (Maineville, Ohio) pitched almost the entire game until being replaced in the middle of the seventh by freshmen Taylor Bottoms (Harrodsburg, Ky.). Besl had three strikeouts and allowed seven hits for five runs. Bottoms allowed two hits.
Again, Centre had trouble getting hits as Thomas More struck out seven batters. Frye and Rhule were the only players to post multiple hit games, Rhule also batted in two runners.
Centre drops to 7-4 on the season. They play their first away game Friday, March 16 against Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi at 5:00 pm. |
