GLENSIDE, Pa. – The Arcadia University softball team split a Commonwealth Conference doubleheader with the visiting Hood College Blazers Saturday afternoon at Blankley Field. Hood took game-one by a score of 3-2 while Arcadia overcame a two-run deficit in the sixth inning by scoring four to take game-two by a score of 4-2. With the split, the Knights moved their record to 13-19 overall on the year and 4-10 in conference while the Blazers are 7-21 overall and 4-10 in conference.

Game 1: Hood 3, Arcadia 2

After a scoreless first inning, Hood scored the first run of the game in the top of the second to take an early 1-0 lead. A leadoff double and a groundout set up a sacrifice fly from sophomore Melissa Canulli to score freshman Kelsey Ritner. The Blazers added to their lead in the fourth inning after four singles in the inning sent two more runs across to make it a 3-0 game in favor of the Blazers.

The Knights started to chip away at the deficit in the fifth inning when they were able to get on the board by way of a two-out RBI-single from junior Alicia McMahon which scored senior Jessica Shotwell and made it a 3-1 ballgame.

Arcadia pulled within one after stringing a few hits together in the next inning. Junior Sara Boyadjis struck a one-out double to left center and was able to advance to third on a misplayed ball that was thrown in to the pitcher. After a pop out, classmate Sarah Gunia sent Boyadjis home on a clutch two-out single and freshman Amanda Hess extended the inning in the next at-bat after hitting a deep double to left center to put the go-ahead run in scoring position. However, Arcadia could not capitalize after a flyball ended the inning.

The Knights could not put together a comeback in the seventh as junior Erin Wilson took the loss for the Knights, falling to 5-10 on the year, after surrendering three runs on 11 hits and no walks while striking out six. Freshman Kayli Paugh improved to 4-8 on the year for the Blazers after going the distance and allowing two runs on 11 hits and two walks.

Hess finished the game 3-4 at the plate while Shotwell and Wilson both had multi-hit games, going 2-4 and 2-3, respectively. Overall as a team, seven different Knights combined for 11 hits in the game.

Game 2: Hood 2, Arcadia 4

For the first five innings, each pitcher kept the opposing offense at bay, not letting a run across the plate until the sixth inning. In one span, sophomore Laura Christine retired 11 Blazers in order from the middle of the first inning until a leadoff double broke the streak in the fifth inning, but then sat down the next three in order.

Hood broke open the 0-0 tie in the sixth inning after leading off the inning with a single, a successful sacrifice bunt, and a ground-rule double, which put the first run of the game on the board. After a line-out, another ground-rule double subsequently made it 2-0 in favor of the Blazers.

The Knights responded in the bottom portion, sending across four runs to make it what would be the final score of 4-2. Gunia got the offense rolling after drawing a one-out walk and two consecutive singles from Hess and Boyadjis promptly loaded the bases and put the go-ahead run at first. Thanks to a misplayed throw to the plate on a groundball, Arcadia was able to get its first run of the game and maintain the bases loaded. Freshman Tori Zaccaria then tied the game at two after hitting a deep sacrifice fly, which allowed Hess to score and then Christine drew a walk in the next at-bat to load the bases once again. The table was set for freshman Nicole Iasiello, who came into the game as a pinch hitter, and came up clutch after doubling down the right field line to score both McMahon and Boaydjis and gave the Knights their first lead of the day, 4-2.

Christine allowed a one-out hit in the seventh but retired the next two to end the game and even her record on the year at 6-6. She threw all seven innings and allowed just two runs on seven hits, while striking out two. Freshman Sophia Leaman took the loss for Hood, dropping her record to 2-10, after throwing six innings and giving up four runs on five hits and three walks.

The Knights will be back in action on Tuesday when they travel to Radnor to face Cabrini College for a non-conference doubleheader slated to start at 3 p.m.