Photo Courtesy of Susquehanna Athletics
By Ashley Nace
The Susquehanna University softball team won both games in their doubleheader against Lycoming on Tuesday at Sassafras Softball Field. They took the first game 8-2 and followed that with a 7-4 comeback win in game two.
Tuesday evening’s games were played in honor of Levi Maciejewski’s life and recognized the Live Like Levi Foundation, with Susquehanna players and coaches wearing tee shirts with the phrase “Live Like Levi” during warmups.
The River Hawks came out bold in the first game, scoring three runs in the first inning to get their lead over the Warriors started.
“Into the first game we were super excited,” said first-year pitcher Piper Wright. “Our goal was to get a sweep because we’ve had a little bit of a tough season so far, so we really wanted to win these games because we knew we could.”
Wright was the relieving pitcher for Susquehanna in game two. In the circle for the River Hawks in the first game was senior Brianna Jones who pitched a full game.
In the bottom of the second, the River Hawks widened their lead to 5-0 as two RBI singles brought in Jones and sophomore Maddy Devine.
“When we started hitting straight away and Bri did a really good job in the circle, it was just overall really exciting,” said Wright.
In the top of the fourth, Lycoming made advances, scoring two runs to tighten the gap between the teams.
But Susquehanna barreled down on the Warriors with three more runs on a Jones RBI single and a two-run RBI single for senior Stevie Shaak. Shaak went 4-for-4 at the plate and brought in five RBIs, leading the River Hawks in hits and RBIs for the first game.
The fifth and sixth innings produced no score for either team and when the Warriors couldn’t get it done in the top of the seventh, the River Hawks secured the game one win.
Though each team had nine hits, the Warriors couldn’t capitalize on them like the River Hawks.
“After we win the first game we really want to try and push ourselves to do even more the next game,” Wright said.
And “do even more” they did. Though they started down, they came from behind and picked up a come-back win.
Sophomore Riley Mullen started on the mound for the River Hawks and threw three full innings.
The Warriors worked slowly but steadily, putting up their first run in the first inning and throwing up two more in the third.
Susquehanna was unable to get the bats going early in the game, allowing the Warriors to climb to a 4-0 lead by the conclusion of top of the fifth.
Wright came in to pitch in the fourth, relieving Mullen.
But Wright and the River Hawks made do with their situation and came out with energy in the bottom half of the fifth.
Two RBI triples, one by Jones and the other by first-year Sydney Perez, aided the River Hawks in their four-run inning that tied the game.
As the momentum shifted in Susquehanna’s favor, three was their lucky number. A three up three down top of the sixth rolled into a three-run bottom to close out the inning.
After a walk with bases loaded brought in their first run, an RBI single down the center of the field brought in the final runs of the game.
Wright made easy work of the seventh inning as the batter hit the ball back into her glove and she turned to first for a double play, earning the final two outs of the game.
“It was definitely exciting to put the pressure on and be able to come back and have an exciting win like that,” said Wright.
Susquehanna earned 11 hits to Lycoming’s 10, with Perez leading the way for the River Hawks, going 4-for-4 in the box and earning three RBIs. Devine assisted Perez with two more RBIs.
The River Hawks will return to the dirt on Saturday, April 11 as they cross the border to Madison, NJ for a doubleheader against beginning at 1:00 p.m.