On the road at Bluffton, the #25 Pioneers sweep the doubleheader, out-scoring the Beavers 22-1 on the day with 10-1 (five innings) and 12-0 wins on the day.
For game one, freshman Sophie Moshos took the mound earning her 11th win on the year with seven strikeouts, putting her over 100 strikeouts for the season. With two more in game two, she now sits at 108 on the year.
The Pioneers started quick with three runs in the first inning. Senior Abby Frazier made it to first on a dropped fly ball in left, she would score on an RBI single up the middle by Katie Mewes. Junior Stella Wulker tripled down the right field line for an RBI scoring Mewes. Carson Murray's double down the right field line scored Wulker to make it 3-0.
After a three up, three down defensive inning, the Pioneer started again with a single from Ry'Ann Tharp to center field. Frazier added a bunt single to the first base side to give two runners for Mewes. Mewes laid a perfect sacrifice bunt to move both runners to scoring position for Shuck. Senior Annie Shuck came up with the 2RBI double to right center scoring Tharp and Frazier to make it 5-0.
Another three up, three down bottom of the inning and the Pioneers were back to put more on the board. Wulker led off with a single up the middle, then stole second. Murray singled to center to move Wulker to third. Emily Hestand pinch hit for Carter and scored Wulker with a grounder to the right side. Tharp followed with a double to left center to score Murray making it 7-0.
A third inning of three straight outs, and the Pioneers came back to play add-on. Mewes got things moving with a single to third base and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Shuck came up with another double, scoring Mewes for an 8-0 lead. Wulker sent one deep over the left center fence for a two run homerun and the 10-0 lead. A lone Bluffton run made it 10-1 for the run-rule win in five innings.
For game two, junior Carlee Jeter took the mound earning her 15th win of the year, combining for the shutout with Moshos who came in for the final two outs in the seventh.
In the top of the first, the Shuck sent an RBI single to center to score Frazier to get the 1-0 lead. The lead extended in the second with a single up the middle by Carter to score Murray. Carter would also score when Tharp put the ball in play in right forcing an error. A throwing error by the first baseman after a foul out allowed Tharp to score as well making it 4-0.
Two more runs were added in the third with Wulker putting the ball in play to third with a throwing error, putting her on first, moving Senter to third, and scoring Shuck. Kinsey Smith sent a shot to the shortstop, making it on base with a fielder's choice, but scoring Senter and earning the RBI.
To start the fifth, senior Taylor Senter sent a double to center field and scored on a double from Wulker for the 7-0 lead that held the same score until the seventh. Five more runs were added in the last inning for the Pioneers starting with a leadoff homerun for Shuck. Senter sent a single to second base before Wulker sent another Pioneer homerun over the left field fence for two more runs and the 10-0 lead. Jordan Fico started it up again with a pinch hit single to center and then moved to second on a wild pitch. With Fico in scoring position, Samantha Cornelison sent a pinch hit RBI single to right center for the 11-0 lead. Frazier added her own single to center, putting two Pioneers on for Mewes. With a walk for Mewes, the bases were loaded for a wild pitch to allow everyone to move up and score Cornelison and give the 12-0 final score after a quick bottom of the seventh.
Now 11-1 in HCAC play and 26-9 overall, the Pioneers look ahead to face the only other HCAC team ahead in the standings, MSJ. They travel to Cincinnati next Wednesday for a doubleheader at 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm.
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