Pictured Above: Senior
Maite Reece (photo: Aaron Cornia)
Box Score Game 1 | Box Score Game 2
Raleigh, NC – The Wagner College softball team started its 2018 campaign with back-to-back hard-fought losses on Friday, taking Ohio University to extra innings before falling 8-5, while battling ACC member North Carolina State to the wire, before losing 3-0 late.
Game 1: Ohio University 8, Wagner 5 (9 innings)
The Seahawks' season opener got off to a fast start in the second inning, as senior
Maite Reece homered to left center, scoring fellow senior Stephanie Aplin, to give Wagner a 2-0 lead.
After the Bobcats took a 4-2 lead in the top of the sixth inning, the Green and White answered immediately, scoring three unearned runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 5-4 lead.
After a leadoff single by sophomore
Zoe Bender, the 2017 All-NEC selection advanced to second on a wild pitch. Following a walk to junior
Lauren Serrato, Bender moved to third on another wild pitch, before scoring on yet another errant throw, which also resulted in a walk to Aplin. Serrato and Aplin then scored on two throwing errors by the Bobcats to put the Seahawks ahead.
Ohio tied the game in the top half of the seventh, before taking an 8-5 lead in the ninth inning on a three-run home run by Michaela Dorsey.
As a team, the Seahawks combined for six hits in the contest, with Bender and Serrato leading the way with two hits apiece, while Aplin and Reece also contributed base hits.
In the circle, senior
Morgan Brown was charged with the loss after throwing 6.2 innings, giving up five runs while striking out two batters. Sophomore
Amelia Van Orman threw 1.2 innings in relief, while junior
Ciera Luna threw 0.2 scoreless innings to finish the contest.
Game 2: NC State 3, Wagner 0
Making her collegiate debut, freshman pitcher
Arielle Koerber threw five scoreless innings, allowing just four hits in the process, before giving up three runs in the sixth inning, which proved to be the difference in a low-scoring battle, as the Wolfpack pulled away late for the 3-0 victory.
With NC State threatening early, sophomore
Alyssa Tucker and freshman
Kayla Conners turned a double play with runners on second and third to keep the score tied at 0-0 after two innings.
Wagner's best scoring opportunity came in the fourth, when back-to-back walks to Bender and Serrato set the Seahawks up nicely, but an inning-ending double play prevented Wagner from taking the lead.
In the circle, NC State's Devin Wallace recorded a no-hitter, striking out five Seahawks in the process, as the Wolfpack improved to 8-4 on the season.
Wagner is next in action tomorrow, as the Seahawks take on Delaware State at 10:00 am before playing additional games based on seeding in the tournament.
