(Allentown, Pa.) – The Dickinson softball team battled through a pair of tight games, splitting a double-header at Muhlenberg College on Tuesday afternoon. The Red Devils jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the opener, but the Mules rallied for a 5-4 win. Sophomore Nicole Torlincasi (King's Park, N.Y./King's Park) hit a homerun in the top of the eighth as the Devils claimed the nightcap, 7-5.
The Red Devils scored first as Nicole Clayton (Chadds Ford, Pa./Garnet Valley) doubled and came around on a single from senior Jay Abell (Glenn Dale, Md./Elizabeth Seton).
The Red Devils tallied three runs in the third after Grace Edelson (Basking Ridge, N.J./Villa Walsh) singled with one out. Back-to-back doubles from Casey Ditzler (Cleona, Pa./Annville-Cleona) and Nicole Piet (Robbinsville, N.J./Robbinsville) stretched the lead to 3-0.
Becca Garlinger (Enola, Pa./East Pennsboro) singled and stole second before sophomore Lindsey Zwecker (Atlanta, Ga./Pace Academy) put down a sacrifice bunt to score Piet for a 4-0 advantage.
Muhlenberg countered with one run in the bottom of the third. Courtney Simon was hit by a pitch and eventually scored on a base-hit and Dickinson error to put the Mules on the board.
A lead-off a walk and fielder's choice in the fifth inning set up Amie DeFeo for a two-RBI double. Nicole Iannarone doubled to left center as DeFeo moved to third. Haley Fedok tripled in the inning as Muhlenberg added two more runs to take the lead.
The score would hold as Muhlenberg rallied for the win in game one. The Devils out-hit the Mules, 13-6, led by a 3-for-4 performance from Edelson. Abell went 2-for-3 while Ditzler and Piet each added a pair of hits.
Muhlenberg struck first in game two, scoring once in the bottom of the first inning. Iannarone single and stole second, coming in to score on a single from Amelia Shelley.
The Devils answered in the third inning. Senior Katie Swade (New Freedom, Pa./Susquehannock) singled and scored on a base-hit from Edelson. Ditzler singled and Piet doubled to give the Devils a 2-1 lead.
Abell and Swade reached on two-out singles, and Torlincasi followed up with an RBI knock to score Abell. Three straight singles in the fifth set the stage for a two-run single from Ditzler.
The Mules would rally and extend the game, scoring four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Karissa Astrella doubled to score three runs and came in herself on a wild pitch to knot the game, 5-5.
The Devils held in the seventh, sending the game into extra innings. Torlincasi homered over the right field wall to put Dickinson back in front, 6-5. Edelson walked and Ditzler delivered once again, scoring Edelson with a double to left center.
Clayton held the Mules to just six hits in the second before Emily Rosenberg (Fredericksburg, Va./Massaponax) came on for the final two innings to earn the win.
The Red Devils combined for 15 hits in game two, led by Torlincasi, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Swade went 3-for-4 with a walk, scoring twice. Ditzler tallied three hits, driving in three runs. Edelson finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored, an RBI and two walks.
The Red Devils return home to face Franklin & Marshall in a Saturday afternoon double-header at Dickinson Park. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 pm.
