Softball Outslugged by Wooster, Olivet College

Chris Kendrick (@CKendrick86)

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Elms College softball team suffered a pair of non-conference losses at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic Sunday afternoon. The Blazers fell to Wooster, 14-4, in five innings, followed by a 10-0 loss to Olivet in five innings.

After three scoreless innings, Wooster cracked the scoreboard with an eight-run inning. The Fighting Scots cleared the bases on a three-run double from senior Skye Patterson (Wooster, Ohio) to grab a 3-0 lead. Patterson scored on a single from senior Paige Goldberg (Hawthorn Woods, Ill.), and Goldberg would come around on an RBI fielder's choice from senior Demi Hart (Shreve, Ohio), making it a 5-0 game. Wooster capped the offensive outburst with a three-run home run from senior Carly Schoenstein (Bethel Park, Pa.), pushing their advantage to 8-0.

The Blazers cut their deficit in half during the bottom of the fourth frame. With the bases loaded, senior Elizabeth Patient (Leicester, Mass.) ripped a single through the left side of the infield, plating sophomore Meghan Shewchuk (Springfield, Mass.) from third. Following a force out at home, junior Kierstan Skinner (South Windsor, Conn.) laced a three-run triple into right field, chipping the Wooster advantage to 8-4.

Wooster closed the door on the Blazers with six runs in the top of the fifth. Senior Julia Williams (Glenview, Ill.) scored on a wild pitch, trailed by junior Taylor Raybuck (Tallmadge, Ohio) scoring on an illegal pitch. With two outs, Schoenstein delivered another blow with a three-run single, pushing her RBI total to six in the game. Schoenstein scored on an RBI single from sophomore Stephenie Little (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio), sending the Fighting Scots to the 14-4 win.

The nightcap was highlighted by a no-hitter from Olivet freshman Delaney Maki (Shelby Township, Mich.), the 11^th no-hitter in Oliver program history. Maki faced only one batter more than minimum, as a Blazer runner reached base in the fourth inning on an error. She struck out six and needed only 65 pitches to get her first collegiate win in the circle.

Olivet scored three runs on five in the first inning, as freshman Kris Forest (Britton, Mich.), sophomore Kelsey Scheenks (Bronson, Mich.) and freshman Larissa Ludwick (Bronson, Mich.) all had RBI-singles in the inning. The Comets added two more runs in the second inning, as freshman Haley Reed (Casco, Mich.) drove in the first run on a groundout and Grubb hit her second RBI-single of the game.

Olivet took advantage of three Elms' errors in the third inning to plate four runs in the third inning. The big hit of the inning was a two-run single by Forest.

The Comets scored their final run in the fourth inning. With runners at second and third base, sophomore Kristen Acuna (Lansing, Mich.) hit a ball, which was misplayed by the short stop and allowed sophomore Christine Wood (East Lansing, Mich.) to score. The Blazers went down 1-2-3 in the fifth inning to end the game early because of the eight-run mercy rule.

Olivet finished the game with 11 hits. Forest, Grubb and Scheenks each were 2-for-3 at the plate. Forest drove in three runs. Senior Ashley Milheim (Eaton Rapids, Mich.) also collected two hits, while she and Grubb scored two runs apiece.

The Blazers move to 0-4 on the season, while Wooster improves to 1-0, and Olivet improves to 3-3 overall. Elms returns to the diamond Tuesday afternoon with a non-conference doubleheader. The Blazers face Eastern Nazarene at 9:00 a.m., and then battle Wisconsin Lutheran at 11:00 a.m.

ELMS SOFTBALL