Game One vs. Lehigh Box Score
Game Two vs. Holy Cross Box Score
Orlando, FL – The Wagner softball team dropped its eighth and ninth straight games today, falling to Lehigh, 8-0, and Holy Cross, 6-3, in the second day of the 2011 Rebel Games in Kissimmee, Florida.
Lehigh wasted no time getting its bats going, with the first two Mountain Hawks of the day reaching base on singles off Wagner righty Judy Betz (Ashburn, VA). A rope double off the centerfield fence by Liz Lucas brought home the game's first run as Alex Cueva crossed the plate giving Lehigh the early 1-0 lead.
The Mountain Hawks weren't finished piling on the early runs, taking advantage of hits by Jacqi Jennelly and Rosie Roessel, who both scored on a costly Seahawk error that extending the Lehigh lead to 3-0 at the end of two innings.
While Lehigh hurler Ashley Quigley continued to throw no-hit innings, the Mountain Hawks kept their bats red hot, knocking in three more runs in the top of the fourth inning off one hit, a walk, and two Wagner errors.
The Seahawks got their first base runner in the bottom half of the fourth inning as Ashley Olsen (Staten Island, NY) hit a hard ground ball that was fumbled by the Lehigh second baseman. Quigley got freshman MacKenzie Alfaro (Riverside, CA) to ground out to third to shut down the inning and keep the score at 6-0 in favor of the Mountain Hawks.
Freshman Ashley Rollins (Fairfax, VA) took over for Betz in the circle to start the fifth inning, but the Mountain Hawks relentless offensive pressure pushed Lehigh toward two more runs on two hits, bringing the score to 8-0.
Quigley wasn't about to waste her no-hitter opportunity, as she set down the first three Seahawks she faced to seal the 8-0 mercy rule victory for the Mountain Hawks.
Betz was credited with the loss, giving up seven hits and one earned run in four innings of play for the 0-8 Seahawks, while Quigley earned her first win of the year for Lehigh.
Wagner would switch benches for its second game of the day, playing as the visitor to the Crusaders of Holy Cross from the Patriot League. Senior Amanda Garcia (Fresno, CA) would take to the circle for the Seahawks who were looking to get past their 0-8 slide in Florida.
Holy Cross, who was coming off a 6-2 loss to Penn earlier in the day, was ready to get its game started on the right foot scoring three runs on two hits and three walks in the bottom of the second inning, forcing the Seahawks to play catch-up for the ninth straight game.
In the top of the fourth inning, Wagner got its first real scoring opportunity with Garcia helping her own cause with a leadoff single to right field. Back-to-back Crusader errors loaded the bases for the Seahawks with no outs. After Rollins struck out swinging, Alyssa McCulloch (East Brunswick, NJ) got her first RBI of the season hitting a hard ball to the left side of the infield that scored Garcia. Kali Haas got the next batter, Kristen Matteoni (Reno, NV), to ground out to third to end the inning with Wagner on the board, 3-1.
After giving up Wagner's first run in four games, the Crusaders came out in the bottom half of the fourth inning and took the Seahawks for three more runs that included two doubles and two defensive errors, pushing Holy Cross back into the driver seat up 6-1.
The Green and White got right back into the game in their next at bats as Jamie El-Aazami (Houston, TX) and Vanessa Lenart (Fontana, CA) led off with back-to-back singles. Hailey Corthell (Reno, NV) and Garcia both made solid contact on their bids advancing the runners before Olsen drove home two on a blast to second, keeping the Seahawks within striking distance at 6-3.
Both Garcia and Crusader's relief pitcher Julia Barrett traded quality innings in the circle, giving up only one hit in the last two innings combined, but giving Holy Cross the 6-3 win.
Garcia ended the day throwing a complete game, six inning, eight-hit, two earned run outing, losing her second game of the year, as the Seahawks team moves to 0-9 on the season.
Wagner will have a much needed day off from competition tomorrow before playing six games in three days to wrap up its spring break trip at the Rebel Games. The Seahawks will take to the field again on Thursday when they try to break their losing skid against Indiana State and Penn. The days first game is slated to begin at 9:00 am.
