April 7, 2008
Stats
Staten Island, NY - The Wagner College softball team lost both games of a Northeast Conference doubleheader this afternoon at the chilly Lower Athletic Field - narrowly 3-2 in the first game and 12-1 in five innings in the second. They move to 13-14 overall and 3-5 in the NEC while the visiting Colonials improve to 13-13, 5-1 NEC.
In the first game the Seahawks were first to take a lead when junior infielder Andrea Lazzari (Reno, NV/Wooster) doubled to right-center driving in senior catcher Victoria Batistelli (Huntington Beach, CA/Huntington Beach) and freshman centerfielder Emily Pierce (Phoenix, AZ/Desert Vista) in the bottom of the first to give them a 2-0 lead.
That, however, would be the only run production Wagner would get all game.
In the top of the fifth the Colonials would even things up on a two-run base hit up the middle off Seahawk starting pitcher Kate Eshelman (Reno, NV/McQueen) and would take the lead for good two innings later.
In that top of the seventh, the Colonials were the beneficiary of a game-winning run when a ground ball to third base was misplayed (for an error) with two outs bringing the score across the plate to make it 3-2, Robert Morris.
The Seahawks last chance in the bottom of the seventh to tie or win the ballgame was dashed when Robert Morris retired the next three batters in order to end the game.
Eshelman (4-4) was tagged with the loss despite not allowing an earned run through seven full, giving up seven hits and walking two while striking out four.
The second game of the doubleheader was a completely different story. Unfortunately for the Seahawks - it was all Robert Morris from the opening stanza.
In that first inning the Colonials would tack on five runs on five hits and bat around the order, the first of two five-run innings, the second of which would come an inning later.
In that visitor's half of the second Robert Morris would get around the order one more time making the score 10-0 after it was all said and done on the strength of three hits and an error.
The lone highlight for the Seahawks - before the game was officially ended after the bottom of the fifth due to run differential - was Emily Pierce's first collegiate homerun, an impressive opposite field job with two outs in the bottom of the third.
Wagner sophomore hurler Danielle Wagoner (Temecula, CA/Temecula Valley) started the game but was only able to go 0.2 IP before she was relieved by junior Kasey Kraft (Redding, CA/Foothill) who went an inning and a third giving up five earned runs on six hits while walking seven.
Senior rightfielder Ami Iwicki (Flemington, NJ/Hunterdon Central) then took over to pitch the final three innings of the game perfect while striking out one. It was the first time she had pitched in a game for Wagner since 2006 when she appeared three times - seven innings total innings - giving up seven earned runs and ten hits to go along with three strikeouts.
Wagoner was pegged with the loss, she moves to 3-3 on the year.
Wagner now looks to get some rest and come right back tomorrow afternoon, once again at the Lower Athletic Field, to take on the Owls of Temple University in an non-conference doubleheader. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.
