Softball splits pair of conference games against crosstown foe La Roche

PITTSBURGH --- Carlow University softball split an Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference doubleheader with crosstown foe La Roche University on the road Tuesday.

The Redhawks (10-22, 3-9 AMCC) hosted the Celtics (14-22, 7-7 AMCC), but Carlow was the home team for both games due to a scheduling conflict at West Field.

Game 1: L, 4-2

Errors proved costly in Carlow's narrow loss to start the day. Two singles and a sacrifice bunt brought in a run for La Roche in the top of the first before the Celtics turned a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.

Carlow gained the lead in the bottom of the second. A lead-off single from McKenna Pierce (Leechburg, Pa./Leechburg Area HS) and a double to left-center field off the bat of Megan Pollinger (Coraopolis, Pa./West Allegheny Senior HS) got the inning started for the Celtics.

A one-out sacrifice fly by Anna Schumacher (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin HS) brought Pollinger around, and a double from Emilee Speicher (Jefferson Hills, Pa./Thomas Jefferson HS) kept the inning going. Haley Bicko (Johnstown, Pa./Greater Johnstown HS) reached on a bunt single to put runners on the corners, but the Redhawks escaped the inning with an infield groundout, trailing 2-1.

Back-to-back singles and a two-out triple gave La Roche a 3-2 lead in the top of the fourth, and a hit and three costly errors added an unearned run for the Redhawks in the fifth.

La Roche retired Carlow in order in the bottom of the fifth and left two runners stranded to secure the win in the seventh.

Bicko suffered the loss after allowing three earned runs on seven hits with two strikeouts in four innings of work. Schumacher pitched the remainder of the game, allowing just one hit and striking out three.

Klover Haberthier earned the win for the Redhawks, allowing two earned runs on six hits with a strikeout and a walk in six innings, while Maura Wade picked up a save with one hit in the final inning. Wade also hit 2 for 4 in the game.

Game 2: W, 8-4

The Celtics took advantage of errors to secure several unearned runs for the win in the nightcap.

La Roche went ahead with two runs on two hits and an error in the first.

Tatum Wiggs (Boron, Calif./Boron HS) retired the side in the second, and Carlow gained the lead in the bottom half of the frame. Back-to-back errors put runners on the corners to start the inning, and Mackenzie Egley (Shelocta, Pa./Armstrong HS) hit a sacrifice fly to right field to bring in the first run.

A two-out walk loaded the bases, and Bicko landed a two-run double in left-center field to give the Celtics a 3-2 lead. Another walk loaded the bases once again, and an infield single put the Celtics ahead, 4-2, before La Roche recorded the final out.

Pierce hit a two-run double and scored on a wild pitch, giving Carlow a 7-2 lead at the bottom of the fourth, and two more La Roche errors allowed another unearned run across in the fifth.

Both teams went three up, three down in the sixth, and the Redhawks attempted a comeback in the seventh.

An error, a single and a two-out walk loaded the bases for La Roche. Rachel Malatok hit a two-run single down the left field line to cut Carlow's lead to four, but a fly out ended the game in favor of the Celtics.

Pierce went 2 for 4 with a double and three RBI, and Wiggs earned the complete game win, allowing one earned run on six hits with five strikeouts and two walks.

Malatok drove in two runs for the Redhawks, and Kynnydy Lewis was saddled with the loss after allowing four unearned runs on one hit with a walk in 1.2 innings.

The Celtics travel to Penn State DuBois for a 6 p.m. doubleheader tomorrow.