Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
WAYNESBURG, Pa. (April 24) – The Waynesburg University softball team gave the defending Presidents' Athletic Conference Champions from Thomas More all they could handle in Saturday's conference doubleheader.
Unfortunately, the Yellow Jackets couldn't quite seal the deal against the Saints and dropped a pair of two-run contests. Thomas More took game one by the final of 6-4 and game two by the final of 7-5. With the loss, the Jackets dropped to 11-17 on the season and 4-8 in PAC play. Thomas More stayed undefeated in the conference (10-0) and improved their overall record to 18-14.
Things didn't start well for Waynesburg in the opener as Thomas More jumped out to a 5-0 lead after three innings of play. However, the Yellow Jackets started to chip away in the bottom of the fifth, thanks to a solo homerun by centerfielder Amber Pivik.
Trailing 6-1 after the Saints posted a run in the top of the sixth, the Jackets showed their mettle in the bottom of the frame. With two runners on and nobody out, starting pitcher Amanda Baughman singled to score shortstop Kristen Lautenschlager, and trim the deficit to four (6-2). An error during the at-bat of catcher Lizz Bombara allowed right fielder Brittany Lyle to score and cut the Saints' advantage down to 6-3. Three batters later, left fielder Nicole Forte smacked a single through the left side of the infield to plate Jaime Gillum, who was running for Baughman. Unfortunately, after pulling to within just two runs (6-4) of Thomas More, the Saints were able to close the door on the comeback.
Still trailing by one in the seventh, the Jackets put two runners on, but the Saints were able to get the final out of the game and pick up the win.
Baughman went two-for-four in the opener and also pitched all seven innings in the circle. She gave up six earned runs on nine hits and six walk.
Things started on a higher note for the Jackets in game two as they jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Baughman and Bombarra both recorded RBI singles in the opening frame. Thomas More answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 3-2 lead, but Waynesburg was able to respond in the top of the second with Pivik's second solo homerun of the day.
With the game tied at 3-3 in the bottom of the second, the visiting team responded with a pair of runs that put Thomas More ahead 5-3. After neither team scored in the third, the Saints went ahead 7-3 in the bottom of the fourth, but Waynesburg had one more rally left in them.
In the top of the fifth, Pivik and third baseman Samantha Volponi singled in a run each to cut the Saints' advantage to 7-5. Unfortunately, that was as close as Waynesburg came to pulling out the win.
Lautenschlager started game two in the circle for the Jackets and worked three innings. She gave up all seven runs, five of which were earned, on six hits and five walks. She struck out six. Baughman came in to relieve Lautenschlager and worked three scoreless innings to keep her team in the ball game. She gave up just one hit and one walk, while striking out four. Her two games worth of work moved her over 100 strikeouts for the season (106).
Bombara and shortstop Rachael Moon picked up two hits each, while Pivik drove in a team-high two runs.
The Yellow Jackets return to action on Wednesday, April 28, when they travel to Grove City for a PAC doubleheader with the Wolverines.
