Softball Gets Back On Track In Doubleheader Sweep

THE BASICS 
Game 1 Score: Emerson 3, College Of St. Benedict 2
Game 2 Score: Emerson, Muskingum 2
Records: Emerson Lions (3-1) ; College Of St. Benedict (5-2) ; Muskingum (4-2)
Game 1 Pitching Decision: WP: Neely Eddleston (2-1) | LP: Lauren York (0-1) l S: Karragan Knowles (1)
Game 2 Pitching Decision: WP: Karagan Knowles (1-0)  | LP:  Hannah Duff (2-1)
Location: Plant City, Fla.

Date: Wednesday, March 6, 2019
The Lead: Behind strong pitching and defense, the Emerson Lions Softball team took two wins down in Florida against St. Benedict and Muskingum, winning both parts of the doubleheader 3-2.

Game 1: Emerson 3, College Of St. Benedict 2

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Neely Eddleston (West Wareham, Mass.) pitched six innings for the Lions, allowing one earned run and striking out five batters, earning her second win of the season.
• Karagan Knowles came in the final earning to get the final three batters, earning a save.
• Emerson totaled nine hits while St. Benedict totaled eight.  Both leadoff hitters were the only players to get more than one hit, with Marisa DeFranco (Great Falls, Va.) of Emerson and Kate Deming of St. Benedict each getting two hits. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Emerson did all of its damage in the third inning, starting off with a double by Kallisa Leonardos (El Granada, Calif.) that brought home DeFranco. 
• Lindsey Lowe (Porter Ranch, Calif.)) followed, reaching on an error that let Leonardos come around third and score.
• Alena Jones (Woodinville, Wash.) followed up with a single of her own that brought home Lowe to give the Lions a 3-0 lead.
• Saint Benedict took one back in the next frame, with Deming coming around to score in the top of the fourth to cut the lead to 3-1.
• Lauren Schenerman scored in the top of the seventh, but Knowles forced a ground out to earn the save and end the game at 3-2.

Game 2: Emerson 3, Muskingum 2

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Lowe drove in all three runs for the Lions, totaling three hits, including a double and a single.
• DeFranco had another three hits for the Lions, scoring one run.  Leonardos had wo hits and came around to score twice.
• Knowles started and finished the game, pitching all seven innings, allowing three hits, two runs, and striking out two batters.
• Emerson outhit Muskingum 9-3. Hannah Duff pitched for the Muskies, striking out nine Lions in the loss.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Emerson opened the game with two runs, on a Lowe double to bring in Leonardos and DeFranco in the top of the first inning.
• The Muskies drew one back in the bottom of the frame, with Krissy Hughes scoring to cut the lead to 2-1.
• The Muskies tied the game on an infield single by Riley powers in the bottom of the second inning, scoring Kassidy Reidenbach.
• Lowe tripled in the top of the fourth inning, bringing in Leonardos to give Emerson the lead back at 3-2.
• Knowles closed out the game, giving Emerson their second victory of the day.