CARY, N.C. - The Arcadia University softball team opened its 2020 season at the Grand Slam Triangle Classic in Cary, N.C Friday, as the Knights picked up their first victory of the season over Piedmont, 2-1, behind a complete-game, one-run effort in the circle from
Kylee Schwind before falling to second-ranked Christopher Newport in the final game of the afternoon, 10-3.
Mary Pat Murray delivered a three-run homer against the Captains, while Alex Destefano finished 3-for-4 at the plate.
ARCADIA 2, PIEDMONT 1
HOW IT HAPPENED
-Schwind was untouchable from the first pitch of the season-opener, retiring 12 of the first 13 batters she faced and held Piedmont hitless through four. The right-hander struck out three over that stretch before a leadoff single in the fifth ended her no-hit bid.
-After stranding a runner in scoring position in the first, the Knight lineup came to life in the bottom half of the third as
Brooke Ward drew leadoff walk and
Ashley Eckett singled to set up runners on the corners with one away.
Alexis Burge brought home the only runs the Knights needed in the next at-bat, reaching on an error by the right fielder to bring in Ward and Eckett.
-Piedmont cut the Arcadia lead to one with a two-out, RBI single in the fifth, but Schwind set the opposition down in order in the sixth and seventh to close out the 2-1 victory.
KNIGHT LEADERS AT THE PLATE
-Eckett: 2-3, R
-Vardiman: 2-3
-Burge/Zangrilli: RBI each
KNIGHT LEADERS IN THE CIRCLE
-Schwind: W (1-0), CG, 2H, R, 5K
#2 CNU 10, ARCADIA 3
HOW IT HAPPENED
-The Knights faced a tough test with the second-ranked Captains in the final game of day one, as CNU jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first before adding another in the second inning on a run-scoring double.
-The Captains extended their lead to six with a four-run fourth, but the Knights fought back to cut the deficit in half by plating three in the sixth. Burge singled and
Hunter Schantz doubled to set up two in scoring position with two away before Murray provided a three-run homer to get Arcadia back in the game in the late innings.
-However, CNU pulled away late with another four-run frame in the sixth to take a 10-3 victory.
KNIGHT LEADERS AT THE PLATE
-Destefano: 3-4
-Murray: 1-3, 3-Run HR (1)
UP NEXT
Arcadia (1-1) concludes its season-opening trip to North Carolina with a pair of games Saturday, beginning with William Peace at 9:30 a.m. followed by Randolph College at noon.
