Scots Pioneer Their Way To Two Wins

Recap, photo from March 10th courtesy of Gordon College

In day two of the PFX Spring Games, Gordon College Softball's bat came alive as they scored a total of 19 runs in a pair of marathon wins this afternoon against Smith College, 11-7 and Carroll College, 8-2 evening up their record at 2-2.

Gordon returns to the dirt tomorrow at 9 a.m. against Dubuque and 11:30 a.m. against Concordia University of Chicago.

Game One:

• Smith jumped on the ball early, plating a trio of runs in the top of the first. The Fighting Scots answered back with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning thanks to aggressive base running by Karissa Hatchell who slid into home on a wild pitch to put the Scots up one.
• Megan Jenkerson, Hatchell, and Ari Ramsaran each knocked in a run to take the 4-3, but starting pitcher Caitlin Catalanotto wanted to give herself an even more comfortable lead as the junior launched the first homerun of the season, driving in Ramsaran and herself to double up the Pioneers, 6-3.
• In the top of the fifth, Smith's Jocelyn Esquer (So./Corona, Calif) singled to left to bring home Alyssa Pioggia (Sr./East Longmeadow, Mass.) to trail by two. Six hits in the bottom half of the inning produced three more runs as the Scots led 10-5.
• Continuing to fight back, Smith strung some hits together to score a pair of runs in the following inning to bring the deficit to 7-10. Keeping with the theme of the day, the Scots crossed home another time in the home half of the sixth to take the 11-7 lead and eventual final score.
• Bieren had three hits, and two runs, while Jenkerson, Hatchell, Ramsaran, and Lily Rivera all had two hits each in the win.
• Catalanatto went 5.1 innings striking out five while Jasmine Mullally closed it out striking out three in 1.2 innings of work.

Game Two:

• Jenkerson led off game two with a triple and eventually scored thanks to a single from Catalanatto. Bieren and Rivera singled and doubled, respectively, to lead off the second forcing Carroll to make a pitching change. However, the adjustment didn't matter as Jenkerson and Hatchell each drove in a run to make it 3-0 in the Scots' favor.
• In the bottom half of the second, the Pioneers tallied a run, but couldn't do anymore damage, as they left the bases loaded.
• With two outs in the fourth, Meredith Kercher roped a double to right center putting herself quickly in scoring position and utilized her speed to touch home after Ramsaran knuckled a ball past the second baseman.
• The Pioneers cut the lead in half, scoring another run in the bottom half of the inning but Gordon wouldn't let them get any closer as the Scots put on a hitting clinic, scoring four runs in the inning to lead 8-2. That was all the Scots needed as Gordon picked up its second win of the day.
• Jenkerson led the way with three hits (two triples), and four RBI's, Bieren, Catalanotto, and Kercher each went 2-4, while Hatchell went 2-3 on the day.
• Mullally went the distance for the blue and white, striking out six and giving up a pair of runs. 

Beyond The Box Score

• Both Caitlin Catalanatto and Jasmine Mullally booked their first wins of the season.
• The Scots had 28 hits on the day.