Despite trailing by seven in game one of its doubleheader, the Saint Vincent softball team rallied and eventually swept Waynesburg University. The Bearcats won 14-8 and 6-3.
Game 1 - Saint Vincent 14, Waynesburg 8
The Jackets jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first. Waynesburg added five more runs on six hits in the second to lead by seven.
In the bottom half of the inning,
Johnna Karas delivered a double down the right field line that scored
Olivia Persin and
Kaylee Ludwick. Karas eventually scored off a ground ball hit by
Hanna Pavsek. Saint Vincent trailed 7-3 after the second.
A scoreless third by the Jackets allowed SVC to cut into the deficit.
Kelsey Tobin hit a single down the left field line as
Jessica Persin crossed home plate. With the bases loaded,
Olivia Persin found a gap in the outfield to score
Mallory Halleck and Tobin as the Bearcats only trailed by one (7-6).
Waynesburg added a run off a single to increase its lead back to two (8-6). The next at-bats for both teams were unsuccessful until the bottom of the fifth.
In its half of the inning, Saint Vincent pulled within one as
Olivia Persin reached on an error as Tobin scored. In the next at-bat, Karas singled through the right side but a miscue in the outfield allowed
Olivia Persin to tie the game at eight.
After the Jackets went down in order in the top of the sixth, the Bearcats looked to take their first lead. Three-consecutive doubles to start the bottom of the sixth produced two runs as SVC led 10-8.
Later in the inning, Ludwick doubled to left center as pinch runner,
Mackenzie Larimer scored.
Olivia Persin kept her strong performance going as she hit a three-run homer over the left field fence.
Leading 14-8,
Haley Bicko allowed a leadoff single but nothing more as SVC held on for the six-run win.
Olivia Persin went 3-for-4 from the plate with five runs batted in and scoring three times. Her sister, Jess Persin and
Kaylee Ludwick both finished with three hits as well.
Bicko picked up the win, pitching five and a third innings in relief. She allowed one run on four hits with three strikeouts.
Game 2 - Saint Vincent 6, Waynesburg 3
In the second game, it was the Bearcats that jumped out to an early advantage.
Abbey Ginter tripled to right field and eventually scored along with Jess Persin to take a 2-0 lead. Later in the inning, Ludwick doubled to right center to bring home Tobin.
Trailing 3-0, Waynesburg cut the deficit to two with a RBI ground ball. However, with runners on first and third with two outs,
Riley Assalone forced a pop-up fly to end the threat.
The Jackets added another run in the third after drawing a walk with the bases loaded but once again, Assalone forced an infield fly to end the inning.
In the bottom half of the inning, SVC added to its lead when Tobin drove a ball through the left side of the infield, allowing Jess Persin to score. In the next at-bat, Ludwick singled down the left field line to drive in Ginter. A stolen base by
Olivia Persin forced a throw to second to let Ludwick score. Saint Vincent now led 6-2.
Assalone then settled in and allowed one hit and three base runners over the next three innings with no runs to keep the 6-2 advantage. In the seventh, Waynesburg added another run but fell short as the Bearcats won by three (6-3).
Jess Persin, Ginter, Tobin and Ludwick each collected two hits in the contest. Assalone threw a complete game, giving up the three runs on five hits and five walks.
Saint Vincent (11-14-1, 5-7) travels to Geneva College for a Presidents' Athletic Conference doubleheader. Game one starts at 11 a.m.
