Softball Blanked by No. 4 Trine, Rebounds to Defeat Concordia-Moorhead

CLERMONT, Fla.- The Eastern Nazarene College softball team suffered a 12-0 setback to No. 4 Trine before bouncing back to capture an 8-3 win over Concordia-Moorhead Tuesday at the PFX Spring Games.

The Lions move to 4-4 on the season with the results. The Thunder, ranked No. 4 in the NFCA National Poll, improve to 5-1 overall while the Cobbers fall to 5-3 on the year.

Dominique Santos (Lancaster, Calif.) notched three hits on the day, including her 100th career hit, while adding one RBI and one run scored. Darcy Castro (Garden Grove, Calif.) posted three hits and a pair of runs scored. Bailey Olaveson (Lakeside, Calif.) finished with a pair of hits, three RBIs, and one run scored. Taylor Brandt (Napa, Calif.) recorded two base knocks, two RBIs, and two runs scored. Adriana Montuya (American Canyon, Calif.) chipped in with a pair of hits, one RBI, and one run scored.

In the team's first contest of the day, Eastern Nazarene absorbed a 12-0 loss to Trine.

The Thunder plated a pair of runs to grab a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Victoria Porter blasted a two-run home run to drive in Mercede Daugherty with two outs.

Trine produced eight runs in the fourth to widen the gap to 10-0. Daugherty led off the frame with a solo homer before Lexi Ayers launched a home run down the left field line to score Alex Armstrong. Taylor Murdock and Amanda Prather landed back-to-back RBI base knocks and Ashley Swartout followed with a three-run homer.

The Thunder scored twice in the fifth inning to stretch the margin to 12-0. Claire Ryan laced a single up the middle to drive in Anna Gill. Murdock roped a double to the gap in left-centerfield to plate Ryan from second base.

Elisabeth Schaffer (Benton, Pa.) tossed three innings and collected a pair of strikeouts in her fifth start of the season. Chelsea De Martini (Budd Lake, N.J.) worked one inning of relief in her second outing of the spring while Shaylie Merlino (Anaheim, Calif.) pitched one frame of action and registered two strikeouts in her collegiate debut.

In the nightcap, Eastern Nazarene topped Concordia-Moorhead 8-3 behind a dominant pitching performance by Schaffer.

The Lions manufactured four runs in the top of the first to construct a 4-0 advantage. Montuya raked a single to right field to drive in Santos from second base. Olaveson launched her team-leading second home run of the year to plate Montuya and Castro.

Eastern Nazarene tallied two runs in the second inning to push its lead to 6-0. Brandt notched her team-leading ninth and 10th RBIs of the spring as she belted her first collegiate home run to knock in Castro.

The Lions tacked on a run in the fourth to extend their advantage to 7-0. Alex Schwenger (Danville, Calif.) scorched a two-out single up the middle to drive in Brandt.

The Cobbers got on the board with one run in the home half of the frame to cut the deficit to 7-1. Taylor Erholtz blasted a solo home run with two outs in the inning.

Eastern Nazarene increased its lead to 8-1 with a run in the top of the seventh inning. Santos smacked a two-out double down the left field line to score Rebecca Hayner (Halfmoon, N.Y.).

Concordia-Moorhead scored twice in the bottom of the seventh to narrow the margin to 8-3. Emma Redlin doubled to center to plate Riley Irmen and Drew Syverson.

In her sixth start of the year, Schaffer spun a complete game and fanned a career-best 20 batters. Her 20 strikeouts are the most by one pitcher in a single game this season in NCAA Division III.

Looking ahead, Eastern Nazarene is slated to face Saint Benedict and Moravian March 4.