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Box Score 2 Lexington, Ky. – The Transylvania softball team grabbed arguably their toughest victories of the season on Tuesday evening with a pair of identical 7-6 wins that were achieved in very different ways.
The Pioneers won Game One by hanging on to a once-lengthy lead. They took care of matters in the nightcap with a comeback to remember. The constant in each contest was the powerful swing of first baseman Krista DeBurger who totaled three home runs between both games.
After defeating the Lions of Mount St. Joseph in back-to-back games by a score of 7-6 in each contest, the Transylvania Pioneers softball team moved to 15-10 (7-1 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference) on the season.
The Pios began Tuesday afternoon staring at a 0-2 deficit, thanks to consecutive unearned runs in the top of the first inning by Mount St. Joseph's Danielle Nichelson and Morgan Hoehn. However, Transylvania would go on to respond with three runs of their own and never look back.
In the bottom of the first, Transy's Brittany Mumford scored an unearned run off a double from shortstop Shelby Bailey. Soon after, a homerun from Krista DeBurger led to a score for herself, as well as Bailey.
Both teams would go on to score again in the game's third inning, first by way of another unearned run from the Lions' Kain in the top of the inning. With the score deadlocked at three runs apiece heading into the bottom of the third, TU's DeBurger connected on her second homerun of the day in as many at-bats.
The Pioneers would tack on their final three runs of the day after a double from Katie Hulsman paved the way for runs from Jessica Powell, Shelbi Poehlein, and Meg Liter to finish the inning. MSJU made a late-game three-run surge of their own in the top of the seventh, but the deficit proved too large to overcome. Transylvania's defense would hold on for a one-run victory without having to take the plate in the game's final inning.
Pioneers pitcher Jenna Stiles earned her seventh win of the season. Stiles faced 34 batters to Nichelson's 30.
In the nightcap, the Pioneers steadily built a lead, grabbing one run in each of the second, third and fourth innings. Meg Liter's single in the second brought in DeBurger for a 1-0 lead, and Mumford's base hit RBI into left brought home Shelby Gambrell to hit a 2-0 advantage. DeBurger improbably blasted her third home run of the day and the first in Game Two to deep left center for a 3-0 Transy lead.
But the Lions finally roared in the fifth and sixth innings with six combined runs after a two-run homer in the fifth and a slew of singles and small-ball plays in the sixth inning provided the Lions with a go-ahead 6-3 score.
But after an already potent afternoon, the Pioneers saved their best for last. The Pioneers loaded the bases and freshman catcher Jessica Powell delivered a single into left field to bring home DeBurger from third to cut the Lions' lead to 6-4. While three runners were left on base at the conclusion of the inning, Transylvania had signaled an awakening of the bats.
After reliever Jenna Stiles, the Game One winner shut down the side in the seventh inning, the Pioneers sprung right back into their offensive groove. Mumford led off the bottom of the seventh with a base hit and rallied to second after a mishandling of the hit in the outfield. Madison Dorsey promptly followed with a double to drive home Mumford for a tantalizing 6-5 game with still no outs.
Not wanting to allow DeBurger another clutch opportunity, the Lions walked the junior intentionally but then walked Meg Liter to load the bases for Transylvania. With the bases loaded and facing a full count, Poehlein took ball four for the tying run and the momentum belonged to the hometown Pioneers.
With two outs to spare, Powell stepped up to bat again and sprouted a hard fly ball to straightaway center field. Lions outfielder Morgan Kain saw the ball float in and out of her glove onto the grass and the Lions scored to walk-off with a sensational 7 to 6 final. Once the euphoria faded, the Pioneers stared at a four-run performance in their final two innings of the night.
Stiles picked up both wins on the day, doing so in Game Two having pitched the final 1.2 innings of the game. Starter Jamie Lutes went five strong innings in Game Two, slowing just two earned runs as she held the Lions at bay.
The Pioneers now sit in first place in the HCAC standings, two games ahead of second place Anderson with four regular-season doubleheaders remaining on their schedule. The Pioneers are next back in action at Rose-Hulman this Saturday with Game One scheduled for 1:00 p.m. in Terre Haute, Indiana.
Lexington, Ky. – The Transylvania softball team grabbed arguably their toughest victories of the season on Tuesday evening with a pair of identical 7-6 wins that were achieved in very different ways.
The Pioneers won Game One by hanging on to a once-lengthy lead. They took care of matters in the nightcap with a comeback to remember. The constant in each contest was the powerful swing of first baseman Krista DeBurger who totaled three home runs between both games.
After defeating the Lions of Mount St. Joseph in back-to-back games by a score of 7-6 in each contest, the Transylvania Pioneers softball team moved to 15-10 (7-1 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference) on the season.
The Pios began Tuesday afternoon staring at a 0-2 deficit, thanks to consecutive unearned runs in the top of the first inning by Mount St. Joseph's Danielle Nichelson and Morgan Hoehn. However, Transylvania would go on to respond with three runs of their own and never look back.
In the bottom of the first, Transy's Brittany Mumford scored an unearned run off a double from shortstop Shelby Bailey. Soon after, a homerun from Krista DeBurger led to a score for herself, as well as Bailey.
Both teams would go on to score again in the game's third inning, first by way of another unearned run from the Lions' Kain in the top of the inning. With the score deadlocked at three runs apiece heading into the bottom of the third, TU's DeBurger connected on her second homerun of the day in as many at-bats.
The Pioneers would tack on their final three runs of the day after a double from Katie Hulsman paved the way for runs from Jessica Powell, Shelbi Poehlein, and Meg Liter to finish the inning. MSJU made a late-game three-run surge of their own in the top of the seventh, but the deficit proved too large to overcome. Transylvania's defense would hold on for a one-run victory without having to take the plate in the game's final inning.
Pioneers pitcher Jenna Stiles earned her seventh win of the season. Stiles faced 34 batters to Nichelson's 30.
In the nightcap, the Pioneers steadily built a lead, grabbing one run in each of the second, third and fourth innings. Meg Liter's single in the second brought in DeBurger for a 1-0 lead, and Mumford's base hit RBI into left brought home Shelby Gambrell to hit a 2-0 advantage. DeBurger improbably blasted her third home run of the day and the first in Game Two to deep left center for a 3-0 Transy lead.
But the Lions finally roared in the fifth and sixth innings with six combined runs after a two-run homer in the fifth and a slew of singles and small-ball plays in the sixth inning provided the Lions with a go-ahead 6-3 score.
But after an already potent afternoon, the Pioneers saved their best for last. The Pioneers loaded the bases and freshman catcher Jessica Powell delivered a single into left field to bring home DeBurger from third to cut the Lions' lead to 6-4. While three runners were left on base at the conclusion of the inning, Transylvania had signaled an awakening of the bats.
After reliever Jenna Stiles, the Game One winner shut down the side in the seventh inning, the Pioneers sprung right back into their offensive groove. Mumford led off the bottom of the seventh with a base hit and rallied to second after a mishandling of the hit in the outfield. Madison Dorsey promptly followed with a double to drive home Mumford for a tantalizing 6-5 game with still no outs.
Not wanting to allow DeBurger another clutch opportunity, the Lions walked the junior intentionally but then walked Meg Liter to load the bases for Transylvania. With the bases loaded and facing a full count, Poehlein took ball four for the tying run and the momentum belonged to the hometown Pioneers.
With two outs to spare, Powell stepped up to bat again and sprouted a hard fly ball to straightaway center field. Lions outfielder Morgan Kain saw the ball float in and out of her glove onto the grass and the Lions scored to walk-off with a sensational 7 to 6 final. Once the euphoria faded, the Pioneers stared at a four-run performance in their final two innings of the night.
Stiles picked up both wins on the day, doing so in Game Two having pitched the final 1.2 innings of the game. Starter Jamie Lutes went five strong innings in Game Two, slowing just two earned runs as she held the Lions at bay.
The Pioneers now sit in first place in the HCAC standings, two games ahead of second place Anderson with four regular-season doubleheaders remaining on their schedule. The Pioneers are next back in action at Rose-Hulman this Saturday with Game One scheduled for 1:00 p.m. in Terre Haute, Indiana.
