Indiana (Pa.) Box
Saint Xavier Box
KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The Northern State University Wolves fell victim to the big inning in Game 1 and defensive miscues in Game 2, dropping a pair of games on Day 2 of their week-long stay at the Rebel Spring Games. Indiana University of Pennsylvania used a 2-out, fifth inning rally in Game 1 en-route to a 9-3 win, while the Cougars of Saint Xavier (Ill.) University managed to salvage a 3-0 victory in the nightcap.
But for the big inning in Game 1, NSU, now 1-7 on the season, kept within reach of both teams through much of the day's action. IUP held a slim 2-0 lead over the Wolves heading into that fateful fifth stanza. With two outs and runners on second and third, the Crimson Hawks strung together five straight hits on six pitches to leap out in front 8-0. Returning All-PSAC first baseman Megan McCormick put the exclamation mark on the rally with her 2-RBI triple past a diving
Ashley Gabler in center field.
The Wolves responded in the bottom of the sixth with a trio of unearned runs. With one out and runners at the corners, NSU's Cat Zimmerman laced a line drive into left field that was misjudged by IUP outfielder Ashley Arentz, allowing freshman Natasha Neu to score from third.
Pitcher Kelli Bornander also aided her own cause two batters later with a 2-out, 2-RBI single back up the middle that plated both Gabler and Zimmerman and forced the seventh and final inning.
However, a seventh-inning rally was not to be for the Wolves. Despite a season-high 11 hits in that game, but also stranded 11 runners on base, including three bases-loaded opportunities.
Bornander, who came on for the start of the sixth inning, absorbed the loss in relief for the Wolves and is now 1-4 on the season. Sophomore Rachel South started the game in the circle, allowing three runs on nine hits while issuing just one walk.
Game 2 played out much the same way, as the Wolves kept SXU at bay through the first four innings of play. Another 2-out rally in the bottom half of the fifth, however, gave the Cardinals a 2-run cushion heading down the stretch. Two defensive miscues in the sixth allowed SXU to tack on an insurance run.
Offensively, the NSU bats went relatively silent. Relying heavily on her defense, SXU starter Jalyn Shearer faced just the minimum number of batters from the third inning on despite a 1-out single from Michelle Ruby in the top of the seventh. Gabler, who entered the game to pinch run at that point, was then caught in a run-down trying to advance to third to end the game.
Lefty Kelly Suggs went the distance for the Wolves, but picked up her second loss of the season, giving up two earned runs off five hits and striking out a pair in her six innings of work.
The Wolves are back at it on Sunday, facing Lock Haven in a 1 p.m. contest and Edinboro at 5 p.m.
