CLERMONT, Fla. – Shepherd University (4-8) dropped a pair of games in softball action at The Spring Games on Saturday. The Rams dropped a 4-3 decision to Emporia State (19-9) in the early game and came up short on a 7-2 outcome to Purdue Northwest (5-14) in the later game.
Shepherd took a 1-0 lead in the first inning against Emporia State as sophomore outfielder
Madelyn Chambers (Stafford, Va./Brooke Point) singled and scored on a triple by sophomore infielder
Cate Russian (Manassas, Va./Colgan).
The Rams added a run in the second when senior third baseman
Lauren Moore (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora/Trevecca Nazarene) reached on an error and scored on a double off the bat of junior outfielder
Camdyn Noland (Summit Point, W.Va./Washington).
The Rams took a 3-0 advantage in the sixth as freshman outfielder
Payton Weaver (Fairplay, Md./Williamsport) led off with a single and later scored on a ground out by Chambers.
Emporia State rallied with four runs in the bottom of the sixth to get the win. Juliana DeLuna and Haley Garnett each had two-run singles to key the rally.
Freshman catcher
Morgan Cave (Kearneysville, W.Va./Washington), Chambers, and Russian each had a pair of hits for the Rams.
Jordan Harrison (7.0 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 8 K, 1 BB) (9-2) gained the win. Freshman pitcher
Sam Colaw (Petersburg, W.Va./Petersburg) (0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 K, 0 BB) (0-4) took the loss.
Shepherd took a 1-0 lead in the first in the later game on an RBI-single by freshman outfielder
Haylee Hartman (Keedysville, Md./Boonsboro).
Purdue Northwest scored three runs in the second to take a 3-1 lead. Darcy Barkauska belted a two-run homer to key the rally.
The Pride added a run in the third, two in the fourth, and another in the sixth.
Shepherd added a run in the sixth on a solo homer by Noland.
Chambers went 2-for-4 to lead the Rams.
Rylan Gick led the Pride with a 2-for-3 effort.
Gick (7.0 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 5 K, 1 BB) (2-4) got the win. Junior pitcher
Abby McBride (North East, Md./Rising Sun) (2.0 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 K, 4 BB) (0-3) took the loss.
The Rams return to action on Tuesday when they travel to Shippensburg for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.