KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Uncharacteristic errors caused the University of Dayton to lose both games Monday at the Rebel Spring Games tournament in Kissimmee, Fla.
To start the day, the Flyers faced the Crusaders from Holy Cross, losing a close one 9-7. Seniors Anne Maci and Molly Meyer, and Freshman Kathleen Maloof went 2-for-4, accounting for all but two of the Flyers eight hits.
Although the Crusaders scored nine runs, only two were earned as freshman pitcher Amanda Daly (0-3) struck out five batters.
Defensively, the University of Dayton struggled from the beginning. In the first inning, back-to-back errors by Maci and Brandy Brown allowed two Crusaders to reach first. A well-hit, sacrifice fly scored two and a double to center topped the inning off at three runs for the Crusaders.
The Flyers responded in the bottom of the first. Meyer started things off with a single to right. Two batters later, Maloof smacked a single that allowed Meyer to score. Later in the inning a double by Maci and ground-out by Raime Cronkhite tied the score at three all.
In the third, Holy Cross capitalized on more Dayton errors and strung together a number of hits to score six runs, taking a 9-4 lead.
For the rest of the game the Flyers chipped away at the big gap created by the Crusaders. Benefitting from a couple early Holy Cross errors and opportune singles by Megan Lee and Maci, the Flyers were able to load the bases with only one out in the fifth. Brown then cranked a single to center bringing in two runs.
A late rally attempt in the bottom of the seventh fell short, scoring only one run off a double by Maloof.
Later in the day, the Flyers would suffer another close loss, a 7-5 heart breaker to the University of Maine.
Despite the score, sophomore pitcher Sarah Wedel (1-1) had a solid performance. Throughout the game she gave up only two hits with three unearned runs.
With in the top of the seventh, the Flyers scored three runs to extend the game. But the Black Bears quickly responded with a walk-off home run to win the game.
Dayton had five runs on five hits with one error to Maine’s seven runs, five hits and three errors. Five different Flyers contributed offensively, with both Brandy Brown and Courtney Kutsulis recording two RBIs.
|
