By Kirsten Hatton Staff writer
Senior pitcher Jamie Fesinstine’s one-hitter in the first of two games led the Susquehanna softball team to a double-header sweep against conference rival Catholic on April 2 at Sassafras Field.
Fesinstine walked the first batter of the game and gave up a double in the top of the fifth inning, but those were the only players to reach base for Catholic. She faced 17 batters on the day and struck out three.
The River Hawks’ bats were able to help, as they forced the mercy rule with an 8-0 shutout in five innings.
Junior leftfielder Leigh-Ann Greenwald started the day off with a triple to right-center. Junior shortstop Heather Pearson then singled to left-center to score Greenwald.
The game took a turn for the River Hawks in the third with a seven run, nine hit inning.
Pearson had three hits in three at bats and two RBIs.
Junior third baseman Emilie Boman had two hits in two plate appearances and scored one run.
In the second game of the double-header, the River Hawks’ bats were once again able to come up big, this time in the sixth inning.
Sophomore pitcher Alexa Gonzalez picked up her seventh win of the season with a complete-game effort, during which she picked up four strikeouts.
Junior second baseman Brooke Kohler started the sixth inning off with a single to left field. Sophomore first baseman Jackie Gore doubled down the right field line to score Kohler. Sophomore right fielder Jill Ahrens then singled to left field and advanced on the throw, allowing Gore to score.
Greenwald singled to left. Pearson was next at bat, and she reached on a fielding error by Catholic that allowed the River Hawks to score.
By the end of the sixth inning, the River Hawks were able to get four runs on four hits and one error.
Greenwald finished the day 2-4, with an RBI, while Boman was 2-2 with a pair of runs.
Gore was the only batter in game two for the River Hawks to record an extra base hit, showing Susquehanna’s dominant playing small-ball. Catholic junior catcher Alyssa Keane added the only other extra-base hit in the game with a double of her own.
In the 45 batters that Susquehanna pitching faced on the day, they only allowed Catholic one run.
Catholic dropped to 12-8 and 2-2 in the conference. The pair of losses snapped the team’s four-game win streak.
The River Hawks also played nationally ranked Messiah on April 5, dropping both games of the doubleheader.
In game one, Boman hit a home run and Gore added a pair of hits.
Susquehanna only held the lead in the game for a half-inning, and the No. 9 Falcons did not let up after scoring two in the first inning. Three runs in the fourth and one in the sixth would end the scoring for the day, and game one ended 6-1 in favor of Messiah.
In game two, offense was at a minimum until the bottom of the third where the Falcons broke the scoreless tie with three runs, which was the only scoring for a 3-0 Messiah win.
The River Hawks improved their record to 12-6 overall and 2-0 in the Landmark.
Susquehanna will play Moravian on April 8. The Greyhounds are 18-2 and are currently on a seven game win streak dating back to March 23.
