(Carlisle, Pa.) – The Dickinson softball team split a Centennial Conference double-header with McDaniel College, on a frigid Thursday night at Dickinson Park.
The Green Terror claimed the opener, 13-4, scoring five runs in the seventh inning. The Red Devils answered in game two, posting a 7-2 decision to earn the split and stay even in the conference at 2-2.
McDaniel struck twice in the first inning of game one, following a lead-off single from Rachel Sydney. Stephanie Maring drove in a run, reaching on an error while Jackie Liebowitz added an RBI double.
Junior Katie Swade (New Freedom, Pa./Susquehannock) reached on a lead-off walk and scored on a double-steal as sophomore Casey Ditzler (Cleona, Pa./Annville-Cleona) drew a walk and was caught in a run-down.
Despite the cold, the strike zone was very tight for both sides. The Green Terror capitalized with three walks in the third inning and a two-RBI double by Emily Sneeringer to stretch the lead to 5-1. The Terror pushed across two more runs in the fourth before the Devils answered with a pair in the bottom of the fifth.
Grace Edelson (Basking Ridge, N.J./Villa Walsh) scored Ditzler with an RBI single and came in to score off the bat of Megan O'Neill (Old Lyme, Conn./Old Lyme) as she reached on an error, cutting the deficit to 7-3.
The teams traded runs in the sixth. Swade led-off the inning with a single and stole second. She came in to score on an RBI from Ditzler.
Liebowitz and Sam Stitley connected on back-to-back doubles to highlight a five-run seventh for McDaniel. They would hold on for the 13-4 win in the opener.
Stacie Maring (Woodbine, Md./South Carroll) doubled in her first at-bat of game two and moved to third on a single from Ditzler. Maring came across to score on a well-executed double-steal to put Dickinson on the board early.
The Terror answered with two in the top of the second. Staciy Armacost doubled in a run and Ally Galati tallied an RBI with a bases loaded walk to take a 2-1 lead.
Three unearned runs in the third inning put Dickinson back in front for good. Maring reached again with a single and Ditzler got aboard on an error as she tried to sacrifice Maring over to second. Another double-steal paid off as the ball sailed into centerfield, allowing Maring to score her second run of the game.
Diztler came around on a double from Edelson while Becca Garlinger (Enola, Pa./East Pennsboro) drew a walk and eventually scored on a wild pitch to put the Devils on top, 4-2.
Sophomore Micki Crouch (Alexandria, Va./Bishop Ireton) launched a double to the wall to score Nicole Piet (Robbinsville, N.J./Robbinsville) in the fifth. First-year Michelle Orden (Hillsdale, N.J./Pascack Valley) made it back-to-back doubles, scoring Piet for a 6-1 lead.
Ditzler singled and came to score the Devils' final run as Piet reached on a two-out error in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Senior Chelsea Homa (Newton, N.J./Newton) closed out the game with a strong seventh inning to earn the complete game win. She improved to 5-4 overall, picking up five strikeouts on the day.
Swade went 2-for-4 in the opener, adding a single in the second game. Five Red Devils had two hits in the nightcap. Ditzler led the way, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored while Maring added two hits and two runs scored. Edelson went 2-for-2 with a walk and an RBI double. O'Neill and Orden each went 2-for-3 in game two as well.
The Red Devils stand at 5-10, overall, and 2-2 in the Centennial Conference. They are scheduled to be home again on Saturday, hosting Haverford College at 1:00 pm.
