Softball Roars Back in Game Two to Earn Split with Elms

QUINCY, Mass.- The Eastern Nazarene College softball team bounced back from dropping an 8-5 decision in game one to rattle off a 13-0 five-inning victory in the second contest of a non-conference doubleheader against Elms Tuesday evening at Mitchell/McCoy Field.

The Lions move to 17-14 on the spring, setting a new single-season wins record with the results. The Blazers progress to 8-13 overall with the outcomes.

Elisabeth Schaffer (Benton, Pa.) paced the team with eight RBIs and five base hits, including two homers. Lauren Weidler (Lansdale, Pa.) collected five hits, three runs scored, and one RBI on the night. Kori Bow (Shaftsbury, Vt.) posted four base knocks, three runs scored, and a pair of RBIs in the twinbill. Emily Gomez (Floral Park, N.Y.) finished with four hits, two runs scored and one RBI while Heidi Gomez (Floral Park, N.Y.) added three base knocks, three RBIs, and one run scored.

In the series opener, Elms staved off a late rally by Eastern Nazarene to earn an 8-5 win.

The visitors snagged an early 1-0 lead with a run in the top of the first. Erin O'Donnell poked a double down the right field line to drive in Kayla Doherty all the way from first base.

The Blazers manufactured four runs in the third inning to widen the margin to 5-0. Jeszy McGuire scurried home as Katelyn Sylvia poked a single to right field. Elizabeth Olszewski belted a three run homer to plate Madison Messier and Sylvia.

Elms scored twice in the fourth frame to extend its advantage to 7-0. Doherty knocked in Tessa Cote with a double to center before crossing the dish on a single off the bat of O'Donnell.

The guests tacked on a run in the top of the fifth to push their lead to 8-0. Catharine Wrang scored from second as Cote landed a single in right.

The Lions got on the board in the home half of the fifth, tallying two runs to cut the deficit to 8-2. Emily Gomez tagged up and motored home from third on a sacrifice fly by Lauren Clements (Garrison, Texas). Schaffer followed with an RBI single up the middle to drive in Weidler.

Eastern Nazarene generated three runs in the seventh inning to trim the margin to 8-5. Bow laced a two-out single to center to plate Viviana Coix (Warrenville, Ill.) before scoring on a base knock by Heidi Gomez. Heidi Gomez crossed the dish as Tylan Onorato (Wiscassett, Maine) reached on an error.

Heidi Gomez pitched a complete game and registered seven strikeouts.

The Lions raced past the Blazers 13-0 in five innings in game two under the lights, the most runs scored in a game since 2012.

Eastern Nazarene established a 4-0 advantage in the bottom of the first inning as Schaffer smacked a three-run homer to straightaway centerfield to drive in Clements and Weidler before Bow scampered home from third on a wild pitch.

The Lions produced four runs in the second inning to extend their lead to 8-0. After Kayleen Garrick (Sparks, Nev.) scored as Weidler reached on an error, Schaffer launched her second three-run shot of the contest to drive in Weidler and Clements.

The home team notched five runs in the third to stretch the margin to 13-0. Schaffer laced a single to right to knock in Weidler and pick up her seventh RBI of the game. Bow followed with a base hit to center to plate Clements. Emily Gomez raked a double to right-center to drive in Schaffer before Heidi Gomez sliced a double to the gap in right-center to score Emily Gomez and Bow.

Schaffer spun a complete-game shutout while allowing just two hits and striking out 12 batters.

Looking ahead, Eastern Nazarene hosts Newbury April 20 in the final non-conference matchup of the regular season.