LATROBE, Pa. (April 13) – The Saint Vincent softball team earned a split in a Presidents' Athletic Conference doubleheader against Westminster College played at windswept Greater Latrobe High School.
In the opener, senior
Haley Bicko threw a complete-game shutout and the opportunistic SVC offense took advantage of five Westminster errors to win 7-0, while the roles reversed in game two, as the Bearcats committed four errors and were limited to just two hits in a 10-2 Westminster win.
After the 1-1 day, the Bearcats are 15-9 overall and 7-3 in PAC play, while the Titans move to 16-10/10-4.
Game One: Saint Vincent 7, Westminster 0
Bicko kept the potent Titan lineup at bay throughout the opener, as she improved to 7-2 on the season and notched her second complete game shutout, scattering just five hits and striking out five batters without issuing a walk.
The Saint Vincent offense recorded nine hits, with three freshmen recording multi-hit outings.
Kendall McConnell went 2-for-3 with a home run and two runs scored,
Shayna Perigo went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and
Alyssa Henderson went 2-for-4 with a run scored.
After Bicko pitched around a leadoff single in a scoreless top of the first, the Bearcats wasted little time in getting on the scoreboard in the home half of the frame. With one out,
Olivia Persin walked, before a sacrifice bunt attempt by
Jessica LaPorte was misplayed, putting runners at the corners. LaPorte then stole second, with the throw sailing into center field to bring home Persin with SVC's first run. After Henderson reached on an error,
Leah Yoder drew a walk to load the bases, and Bicko helped her own cause with a double down the left field line to plate LaPorte and Henderson and increase the lead to 3-0.
In the bottom of the second, McConnell led off with a line drive to the right field corner that eluded the diving defender and rolled to the wall. Hustling the whole way, McConnell scampered home for the inside-the-park home run to put the Bearcats on top 4-0.
The teams traded zeroes in the third, before the Bearcats added on in the bottom of the fourth. McConnell led off with a single to center before moving to third when Persin reached on an error. LaPorte followed with a sacrifice fly to center to plate McConnell, before Persin scored the Bearcats' sixth run on
Shayna Perigo's RBI single to center.
Saint Vincent closed out the game's scoring in the bottom of the sixth when Persin opened the inning with a walk and scored on a fielder's choice off the bat of Perigo to account for the 7-0 final tally.
Game Two: Westminster 10, Saint Vincent 2
The Titans did all of their offensive damage over three innings, tallying 10 hits and taking advantage of four Bearcat miscues to score six unearned runs in the win.
Westminster used two singles and a triple to take a 2-0 lead just four batters into the game. Following the second run, the Titans would load the bases again with two more singles, but SVC starter
Olivia Bushore limited the damage and induced an inning-ending popup to leave the sacks full.
After managing just one baserunner over the first two innings, the Bearcats threatened in the bottom of the third. With one out,
April Earnest walked, before
Mackenzie Favero and Persin stroked back-to-back singles to load the bases. However, Westminster starter Elizabeth Malczak escaped the jam by getting a pair of groundouts to end the inning.
The Titans added onto their lead in the top of the fourth, scoring four unearned runs on three hits and two errors to open up a 6-0 spread.
Saint Vincent would finally break through in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Yoder walked, before McConnell reached on an error to put runners at the corners. After McConnell stole second, a ground ball off the bat of Earnest was misplayed at second base, bringing both runners home and cutting the deficit to 6-2.
Westminster would then put the game away with a four-run fifth, sending eight batters to the plate to score four runs on three hits, including two triples, to increase the lead to 10-2 and close out the day's scoring.
Favero and Persin recorded the two Saint Vincent hits, while Favero added a walk to reach safely twice.
Bushore started and took the loss, allowing two runs on five hits in an inning of work.
A.J. Arnal came on in relief and allowed just two earned runs over the final four innings, with one strikeout and one walk.
Malczak improved to 8-3 by going the distance and allowing two runs on two hits, with three walks and three strikeouts.
The Bearcats are now scheduled to return to action at 3:30 p.m. on Monday, April 15, hosting Washington & Jefferson in a PAC doubleheader in Latrobe.
