Sweep Eludes Softball, Knights Settle For Split With E'town

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 ELIZABETHTOWN, PA: Arcadia University was forced to settle with a split in today's Commonwealth Conference make-up doubleheader at Elizabethtown University when the Blue Jays used a walk-off two-run single to win the opener 2-1 before the Knights used steady scoring to slug out a 6-4 win in the nightcap.

Arcadia improves to 11-9 overall and gets their first conference win of the season (1-3), while E'town moves to 17-9 overall (5-1 CC).

Arcadia head coach Linda Detra attributes today's split to her team's focus and toughness, "We played near errorless ball this afternoon, allowing just one in the opener," notes Detra. "Lindsay (Henchinski) had the best day offensively for us, and a great week, getting her 150th hit at Alvernia a few days back. It was tough to not get that first game but the team made sure to produce enough run support in the second and we did that by playing with confidence and determination."

The low-scoring opener saw the Knights plate a run in the top of the first, and made that one-run lead stand until the bottom of the seventh. Starting hurler Kelsey Roberts '12 (3-4) helped to hold the Jays off the board for most of the game, allowing just 3 hits to the home team with 5 walks and 2 strikeouts.

Lindsay Henchinski '12 blasted a single to right field to lead off the first and would quickly make her way around the bags, reaching second on a fielder's choice and third off a SAC bunt from Marissa Perez '13. The score became 1-0 Arcadia as Henchinski was brought home on a Brandee Zablotsky '13 ground out to short.

That's the way the scoreboard would read until the Jays took to the dish for their last attempt. A walk dealt to Amanda Sheckard started the frame, with a single from Courtney Comstock moving Sheckard into scoring position. E'town then laid down a SAC bunt to move Sheckard to third and Comstock to second. The Knights were still two outs away from escaping with their first league win of the season with the game tying and deciding runs for the Jays now in scoring position. E'town stayed the course, and used a two-run single from Lindsay Cooper to drive in Sheckard and Comstock giving the Jays the 2-1 walk-off win. Julie Sebastian (12-3) got the complete game win throwing 2 strikeouts against 7 hits.

Jess Wood '13 got the game two starting nod for the Knights and finished her four inning performance with her 6^th win of the season (6-2) on four hits and two runs. Not only did Wood come with her arm firing, but she used her bat to give the Knights a 4-2 lead with a two-run double in the fifth. Arcadia out-hit the Jays 10-8 in game two while Heather Buriak '14 pitched the final three frames allowing 2 earned on 4 hits and a walk on her way to her first save of the season.

The game remained scoreless until Arcadia put up single runs in the top of three and four. E'town countered with a two-run bottom of four to knot the score at 2-all.

In the top of the fifth Arcadia rallied to regain their two-run advantage. A single to right field from Perez opened the inning, followed by a single to center from Zablotsky. A two-run double from Wood brought Perez and Zablotsky back home and lifted Arcadia back out to a 4-2 lead. Henchinski then launched a solo home run out of the park in the top of six, her first of the season, with the Knights now in front 5-2 while Leanda Helms '14 added an insurance score in the top of seven. E'town managed to tack on two final runs in the bottom of the seventh but was unable to replicate their game one result.

Henchinski would finish 3-4 with 2 runs and 1 RBI. Zablotsky went 2-4 with 2 runs and 1 RBI. Wood batted 2-3 with 1 run and 2 RBI while Helms finished 2-4 with 1 run scored.

Arcadia hosts Delaware Valley College in non-league action this Tues., April 3 at 3:00 p.m. on Blankley Field before returning to their Commonwealth schedule, hosting Widener University on Thurs., April 5.

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