San Antonio, T.X. – The Le Moyne College softball team wrapped up the Birds Up Bash in their second matchup of the weekend against host UTSA on Sunday morning. The Roadrunners came away with a 5-2 victory after keeping the Dolphins shutout until the seventh inning.
The Roadrunners got on the scoreboard early in the bottom of the first as a grounder to first base off the bat of catcher Makayla Madrid advanced center fielder Skylar Rucker to third after she got on base due to a double down the left field line. Rucker came around to score on a double to the left-center wall by DP Kalee Rochinski, giving UTSA a 1-0 lead.
The scoring remained quiet until the bottom of the third when left fielder Lindsey Davis led off with a walk allowed by Le Moyne's freshman starter Isabella Kwashek (West Deptford, N.Y./West Deptford) before third baseman Sabrina Wick advanced the runner and reached on an error. Davis came around to score in the next at-bat as Rucker grounded out to second base to push the runners up.
UTSA added another run in the frame and took a 3-0 lead as right fielder Jaylen Prichard singled to left field to drive in Wick. Kwashek was able to get out of the inning on a fielder's choice and left the bases loaded while avoiding further trouble.
After coming in relief and working through a scoreless fifth inning, freshman Nevaeh Ross (Friendship, N.Y./Friendship) walked pinch hitter McReynolds to lead off the sixth before allowing a single to third off the bat of Davis and inducing a sac bunt by Wick that advanced the runners. McReynolds came around to score on a wild pitch before Rucker flied out to left in the at-bat, driving in Davis to put the Roadrunners up 5-0 late.
The Dolphins put a run across to lessen the deficit in the top of the seventh as sophomore center fielder Sydney Nesci (Cicero N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) singled through the left side and was replaced on the paths by sophomore Gabriella Zarcone (Smithtown, N.Y,/Smithtown East) before junior first baseman Audrey Benderski (Spring Lake Park, M.N./Spring Lake Park) drove her in with a single to left center.
A second run came around to score in the inning as senior catcher Elaina Kassap (Long Beach, N.Y./Long Beach) flied out to right field, allowing Benderski's pinch runner, junior Alayna Bush (Adams, N.Y./South Jefferson) to cross the plate.
Le Moyne's rally fell short in the seventh, giving UTSA their second win in the series this weekend.
In the pitching circle, Kwashek allowed three runs (one earned) on five hits, two walks, and one hit by pitch in 4.0 innings while Ross covered the final 2.0 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits and one walk while striking out two.
What's Next:
Le Moyne (2-13) will travel to Emmitsburg, Md. and face off against Mount St. Mary's in three matchups and Morgan State in another two games next weekend, Friday-Sunday, Mar. 7-9.
