CHESTERTOWN, Md. - The Dickinson softball team entered Saturday's doubleheader at Washington College knowing that a split would be good enough to secure a home game in the first round of next week's Centennial Conference Tournament. The Red and White used a huge seventh inning to secure a 9-2 win in game one, before watching a late lead slip away in a 3-2 walkoff loss in game two.

Game One - DEVILS 9, Shorewomen 2
Time of Game - 1:45
Pitching Decision
W - Riley Kuehn (11-3) | L - Brynn Balliet (10-6)

Inside the Game
A quiet top of the first for the Devils brought the home team to bat in the bottom-half. A leadoff single was quickly followed by a popout and strikeout, before a knock to center by Lexie Witmer made it 1-0 through one. However, Dickinson had an immediate response in the top of the second as singles from Abby Kohan and Emily Whelan put runners at first and second for Laila Gwathmey. During her at-bat, Whelan swiped second which allowed the flyout to right to drive home one and move Whelan to third. She then came home when Devon Kueny smacked an RBI single to center for the 2-1 edge. DC starter Riley Kuehn did exactly what you would hope for during the bottom of the second as she setdown the Shorewomen in order.

The game stayed that way until the top of the fifth when with one away Jane Lloyd worked a walk off of Brynn Balliet, before the next batter Eden Blanker smoked one over the right-centerfield wall pushing it out to 4-1 after four-and-a-half. However, Washington pulled a run right back in the last of the frame as Gracelyn Goforth began things with a solo shot. Kuehn allowed a pair of two-out singles, but got a popup of Jenna Harper to retire the side. The Red and White then blew things open during the top of the seventh as three consecutive singles by Gwathmey, Kueny and Lloyd chased Balliet from the game and brought on Gen Kozub. She surrendered a pair of two-run knocks to Blanker and Jen Klepfer to open the lead to 8-2. An error by the shortstop with Brooke Espenshade at the dish allowed the ninth to score. Kuehn issued a leadoff walk in the bottom-half, but then setdown the next three to end the game.

Game Two - Shorewomen 3, DEVILS 2
Time of Game - 1:50
Pitching Decision
W - Lexi Barnhart (6-3) | L - Kaylie Renner (0-3)

Inside the Game
The Devils were off and running early as for the second straight game a walk worked by Lloyd led to Blanker blasting a two-run bomb this time to center. Dickinson tried to add-on, but a two-out single from Kohan was stranded when Whelan struck out. Washington chipped one off the deficit in the last of the inning as a single, walk and DC error filled the cushions with two down for Chloe Trefz. She would draw a free pass from Devils starter Lindsay Kucker to force home one, before Maddy Kendall flew out to end the frame. 

Dickinson recorded two base runners in each of the next two innings, but were unable to get anyone across home plate. In the bottom of the third a single and hit batter had two on with one down. However, Kucker was able to induced back-to-back flyouts to retire the side. The game stayed 2-1 Devils until the last of the fifth when two singles were enough for the Shorwomen to draw even heading to the sixth. 

After Dickinson was setdown in the top-half, Kaylie Renner took over in the circle for Kucker and worked a one-two-three frame to shift things to the seventh. The Red and White were kept quiet during their half giving the home side a chance to walk it off in the bottom-half. Two singles put runners at the corners with one out. Renner then got a flyout from Goforth for the second out, before watching a miscue in the field during Lilly Cook's at-bat allow the winning run to cross.

The On-Deck Circle
Dickinson (23-13, 12-4 Centennial) will be the number two seed in next week's tournament and will host the very same Washington team on Thursday at Dickinson Park. The Red and White will then head to top-seed Ursinus College on Saturday to continue the double-elimination tournament. First pitch for Thursday's game is not known yet so stay tuned to Dickinson Athletics social media and website for more information as well as a preview.
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