Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Athens, W.Va.- Bauer and Hoppe pitch two complete game victories to give the Golden Eagles the sweep over the Mountain Lions.
The Basics
Location: Athens, West Virginia
Score: G1: UC 3, CU 1, G2: UC 3, CU 2
Records: UC 8-8, CU 6-14
How it Happened
Game One
The Golden Eagles traveled to Athens to open up conference play in grand fashion. Although UC could only muster four hits, two of them left the yard early in the game to set up a 3-0 lead after three innings. Dani Bauer was in command within the circle to make the lead stand.
After a relatively quiet first inning for both teams, Morgan Hoppe stepped to the plate with one out. Hoppe absolutely crushed a pitch from Caitlyn Bauer. The tape-measure home run not only exited over the left center field fence, but also cleared a second 15-foot fence surrounding the nearby tennis courts to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
After Bauer retired her sixth consecutive Mountain Lion batter, Carlie Odejewski walked to lead off the top of the third inning and then promptly swiped second base. With two outs and Odejewski still positioned at second base, Allysa Lake mashed a line drive over the left field fence to extend the Golden Eagles lead to 3-0.
The three runs were all that Dani Bauer needed as she only surrendered three hits. From the first to the third innings, she retired ten straight Mountain Lion hitters. The only blemish on the day followed a one-out triple in the bottom of the seventh. Concord picked up their only run after a wild pitch. Bauer struck out the final batter to secure the complete game victory.
Game Two
The second game of the doubleheader went ten innings, with both starting pitchers going the distance. The Golden Eagles outlasted the Mountain Lions 3-2. Morgan Hoppe pitched a beauty as she only allowed one earned run in the complete game victory while striking out eight batters.
In the first inning, Charleston found themselves in a 1-0 hole after leadoff hitter, Kylee Stacy reached on an error. Laura Thompson followed with a bunt single. A sacrifice bunt set up the first run of the ballgame as Stacy scored on a groundout to second base.
Hoppe was able to pitch around trouble as Concord had runners in scoring position in each of the second, third, and fourth innings. The toughest jam was in the bottom of the fourth, when the Mountain Lions had runners on second and third with one out. After striking out Kayla McCraw, Aubrey Matice grounded out back to Hoppe for the final out of the inning.
UC would strike back in the top of the fifth inning. Brionna Bowman served a single down the right field line to open up the inning. After a Reagan West sacrifice bunt, UC's lead off hitter punished a double to the left field fence to tie the ball game up, 1-1. Kendal Marshal would give Charleston their first lead, 2-1, as she singled through the left side.
The Mountain Lions would immediately strike back in the bottom half of the inning to knot the game at 2-2. Both teams would be held scoreless over the next four innings, with Morgan Hoppe sitting down 11 of the next 12 hitters.
The top of the tenth required the international tiebreaker rule to be in play. Jade Espinosa took her place on second base to start the inning. Carlie Odejewski then had a bunt single, with Espinosa not advancing. A productive out by Hannah Rose moved the runners to second and third. Kendal Marshall picked up her second RBI of the game as she grounded out to shortstop. With the out, Jade Espinosa scampered home with the go ahead run.
Morgan Hoppe cruised in the bottom of the tenth to her fifth consecutive victory.
Up Next:
There is no time for rest as UC hits the road again in the morning to travel to Glenville State for a doubleheader on Sunday, March 20. The twin bill kicks off at 2:00pm.
