April 5, 2008

Box Score

Erie, Pa. - Jessica McNurlen went 3-for-4 with a pair of triples and drove in four runs as the Mercyhurst softball team rolled to a 6-0 victory in the opening game of its doubleheader with Findlay Saturday. Findlay came from behind to score a pair of runs in the fourth to win game two 3-2.

In the first game, Mercyhurst scored five runs in the third to give starting pitcher Carrina Crow all the support she would need. Crow gave up just two hits and struck out eight batters over seven innings to improve to 8-4 on the year.

The first three Laker batters all reached in the third inning to load the bases for McNurlen. She cleared them with a three-RBI triple to make it 3-0. Megan Houston followed with a one-out RBI single and eventually scored after a Michelle Schmitz double moved her to third and a Kara Gorgos ground out to drove her home.

The Lakers added one more run in the fourth as Erin Ratajczak singled and McNurlen crushed her second triple in two innings for her fourth RBI of the game.

Ratacjczak and Schmitz both went 2-for-3 in the opening game as Mercyhurst pounded out nine hits in the contest.

In game two, Findlay scratched out a run in the second with a single, sacrifice bunt, another single and an RBI ground out to make it 1-0. But Mercyhurst took the lead in the fourth as Amber Rapose walked and moved up to second on a Houston ground out. Schmitz drove her home with an RBI single and then stole second base. She scored on Gorgos' single to make it 2-1 Mercyhurst.

But in the bottom of the fourth, Mercyhurst ran into trouble. Audrey Semanco and Jamie Smith both walked and Jessica Rolston tied the game with an RBI single. After Findlay lined into a double play, the Oilers scored when Brigitte Webb's grounder to third base took a bad hop and scooted into the outfield to plate the winning run.

Amanda Norman pitched the first three innings and took the loss. Crow came back to pitch the final three innings after tossing all seven in the first game and gave up one hit, one walk, and struck out three.

Findlay is now 4-17 overall and 2-4 in the GLIAC. Mercyhurst moves to 14-16 overall and 1-5 in the GLIAC and will host Ashland Sunday at 1 p.m.