Softball tops SLIAC east leading Spalding in one of two in Kentucky
The softball team lost their first game against Spalding 3-1 on Wednesday before achieving vengeance in game two with a 4-3 win.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The softball team lost their first game against Spalding 3-1 on Wednesday before achieving vengeance in game two with a 4-3 win.
The Panthers scored a first inning run in game one to take an early lead, but the Golden Eagles held them at bay for the rest of the game and tallied three runs of their own in the third inning for the win.
Mia Boyd continued her outstanding first season with a single in the first inning that plated Madi Case and later doubled to go 2-for-4 in game one.
Case led GU in game one with a 3-for-4 performance.
Newcomer Melissa Bernal drew the start in the circle and pitched all six innings, holding Spalding to three runs on eight hits with two strikeouts and a walk.
In game two, Case went 3-for-4 once again with two RBI, leading the Panthers to a 4-3 win.
In the first inning, GU again took the lead on a Boyd RBI single, but Spalding came back with one run in the second and two in the third to build a 3-1 advantage.
Displaying fierce resolve to not fall short in game two, the Panthers rallied for three runs in the fourth inning and made it hold up for the victory.
Jaclyn Belzer scored from third base on pop fly to the second baseman for GU's second run, and Case produced a two-run RBI single, plating Juliana Guerrero and Taylor Weiss for the tying and winning runs, respectively.
Alison Klaus improved her record to 6-5 with a seven inning complete game in the circle. She only permitted three runs, two earned, on four hits with six strikeouts in collecting the win.
In Klaus's earlier appearance against Spalding, the Golden Eagles scored six runs, so Wednesday's appearance in Louisville also signaled Greenville's general improvement in play over the course of the season.
The Panthers (14-18, 8-6 SLIAC) needed the sweep to tie for first place in the SLIAC east division, and now they play the western division leading Fontbonne Griffins on Saturday at home in the first of three doubleheaders at Panther Field to finish the regular season.