April 29, 2007
Box Score
Game One Box
Moon Township, PA - The Wagner College softball split a Northeast Conference double header at host Robert Morris earlier this afternoon. The split ends a school record 11 game winning streak for the Seahawks which moved to 24-16 overall and 10-4 in the league. The Colonials now stand at 14-17 overall and 7-7 in the NEC.
Wagner took an early 1-0 in the top of the first of game one as junior Katie Stevens (Reno, NV / Wooster) doubled down the right field line to bring in freshman Kate Eshelman (Reno, NV / McQueen) who reached on a fielder's choice. The lead would be short lived however as Brooke Panepinto hit a two out solo home run in the Robert Morris half of the inning to even the count at 1-1.
The score would remain there until the fifth inning when Stevens started a rally with a one out single. Sophomore Andrea Lazzari (Reno, NV /Wooster) followed with a single of her own before junior Victoria Batistelli (Huntington Beach, CA / Huntington Beach) loaded the bases when she was hit by a pitch for the 34th time this season. The 34 HBP are now the second most ever in a single season in the NCAA Record Books leaving the third year catcher 10 off the NCAA single season mark. The next Wagner batter struck out looking, setting up grad student Joy Gallagher (Hazleton, PA / Hazleton), who drew a bases loaded walk to force in the go ahead run. The rally would die there however with the bases still loaded when the inning ended on a ground out to first.
As they did in their half the first, the Colonials responded again with the long ball in the bottom of the frame. First, Panepinto tied the game with a one out solo shot, then Ashlee Smith took a 3-2 lead when she made it back-to-back home runs for Robert Morris.
The lead would hold up as the Seahawks went in order in the sixth and seven innings reluctantly ending their 11 game winning streak. Senior Morgan Miller (Las Vegas, NV / Silverado) scattered eight hits, while giving up the three runs and recording four strikeouts. She fell to 10-7 on the year. Colonial ace Danielle Cohen went to 5-6 with the win.
Game two was all about the offense as the teams combined for 25 hits and 21 runs. Wagner again jumped out in the top of the first inning scoring four runs on just one hit. Senior Christina Hopkins (Edison, NJ / Edison) accounted for the lone hit with a leadoff single. After a sacrifice, Stevens reached on a walk and Lazzari plated the first run when she reached on an error. A sacrifice by Batistelli scored another run before a walk and an outfield error brought two more for Wagner which held a 4-0 advantage.
Robert Morris again answered in their half of the inning scoring three runs, including a two-run home run from Jill Dorsch that cut the lead to 4-3. A double by Jill Spargo tied the game in the fourth, preceding a breakout inning by the Seahawks in the fifth.
In that fifth stanza, Wagner scored four runs on a one out, two-run single from Batistelli and a two-run double to right by Gallagher that put the Seahawks on top 8-4. In the sixth Batistelli recorded another RBI, drawing a bases loaded walk ahead of a RBI single by junior Ami Iwicki (Flemington, NJ / Hunterdon Central), who doubled for the 15th time this year in her last at bat in the fifth. Lazzari singled in the fifth to help extend the rally and her hitting streak to 12 games.
Now ahead 10-4, the Seahawks added a needed insurance run in the top of the seventh when Eshelman doubled home pinch runner Danielle Wagoner (Temecula, CA / Temecula Valley). Wagoner was running for junior Margaret Gallia (Las Vegas, NV / Community College HS) who lead off the at bat getting hit by a pitch.
Once again Robert Morris answered the Seahawks call in the bottom of the inning in what proved to be the most action packed of the day. The Colonials scored six runs, recorded six hits while Wagner committed two errors before finally getting Spargo tagged out in a rundown to end the game leaving the Robert Morris rally one run shy as they earned the split.
Eshelman (11-6) earned the win for Wagner as Miller picked up her second save when she came on in the seventh to record the final out. Brenda Reed (9-8) was charged the loss for RMU.
Batistelli and Gallagher each knocked in four runs in the game while Eshelman moved her hitting streak to 11 games and went 3-4 with two runs scored and a RBI. She would finish the day with four hits and Gallagher with five RBI.
Wagner completes the road trip on Monday as they head back to Saint Francis (PA) to complete a suspended double header from Saturday.
Game 1 R H E
Wagner 2 5 2
Robert Morris 3 8 1
Game 2 R H E
Wagner 11 9 2
Robert Morris 10 16 3
~wagnerathletics.com ~
