Bear Shots
Game 1
Game 2
BALTIMORE, Md. (March 21, 2009)-The Morgan State softball team, which hadn’t played in a month since sweeping a non-conference doubleheader at North Carolina Central on Feb. 22, in Durham, N.C., returned to the field on Saturday afternoon with a non-conference doubleheader against visiting Mount St. Mary’s.
Mount St. Mary’s claimed the first game 6-2, before Morgan State bounced back with a 6-5 victory in Game 2, to earn a split in its home opener at Lois T. Murray Field. Morgan State, which now trails the all-time series 10-9, earned its first victory over the Mountaineers, since a 7-2 win on April 3, 2003.
In the first game, Morgan State managed eight hits, scoring two runs, but was hurt by three errors, allowing The Mount to score six runs on seven hits.
Mount St. Mary’s (3-13) appeared as if it was going to blow the game wide open in the opening inning, as it had bases loaded with no outs after a lead-off double, a walk and a hit batter to load the bases. But Morgan State’s Carolynn Howard settled down and responded with a strikeout of the next batter, a fielder’s choice at third base, which led to an out at home and then got the sixth batter to pop up at first base for the third out to get out of the jam.
The Lady Bears (7-3) got on the board first in the bottom of the third inning, when Kriston Gowan reached on a bases loaded fielder’s choice, which allowed Jaclyn Hall to score from third and give the hosts a 1-0 lead.
The lead would be short-lived, as the Mountaineers responded with four runs in the top of the fourth. Beth Everist led off the inning with a double to center field and Liz Christiansen followed with a two-run homer to center field. Mount St. Mary’s would score the first of two more runs on an error on the Morgan State infield, followed by an RBI ground out to take a 4-1 advantage. The guests would extend their lead to 6-1 with two more runs in the fifth inning.
The Lady Bears would score their last run on a homerun to left field by Gowan in the bottom of the sixth inning for the game’s final score.
Mount St. Mary’s Jamie Fowler earned the Game I victory, surrendering two runs on eight hits. Fowler also threw a game-high six strikeouts in seven complete innings. Howard was charged with the loss for Morgan State, as she pitched five innings and was hit for six runs on six hits, two walks and a strikeout.
Offensively the Lady Bears were led by Gowan, who went 2-for-3, including a homerun and two RBIs and a run scored. Jaclyn Hall also added two hits in four at bats and scored a run. The Mount were led by Christiansen, who was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs, including a two-run homer. Everist finished 2-for-3 with a run scored.
In Game 2, Morgan State held a 5-2 lead heading into the sixth inning, before the Mountaineers score two runs in the sixth and one in the top of the seventh to tie the score at 5-5.
Mount St. Mary’s Christiansen led the sixth inning with a homerun to right centerfield for the first run and Nicole Reeder singled to left field to score Courtney Zingle to make it a 5-4 game.
Morgan State appeared to still have the game won, as sophomore pitcher Megan Johnson got the first two Mountaineer batters she faced in the seventh inning out. However, a walk to the third batter was followed by a single to left field by Everist. Gina DeAnnuntis followed and hit a routine grounder to short, but a throwing error allowed her to be safe and scored Christiansen for the tying run. Johnson then struck Zimmerman out to preserve any further damage.
The Lady Bears’ bats again came to life in the bottom of the inning, as Griffin singled through the left side and Gowan followed with a double to left field with one out. Howard stepped to the plate and singled down the left line to score Griffin for the winning run.
Morgan State finished Game 2 scoring six runs on 12 hits, but also had two errors. The Mount scored five runs on eight hits. Johnson earned the win for the Lady Bears, recording five strikeouts and surrendering five runs on eight hits in seven complete innings. Fowler, who received the loss for Mount St. Mary’s, finished with six strikeouts and had three walks, while giving up six runs on 12 hits in six and one-third innings pitched.
Tamra Griffin led Morgan State with four hits in four at bats with two runs scored and a RBI. Devina Brown finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored and Gowan added two hits in four at bats a run scored and a RBI. Howard went 2-for-3 with two RBIs.
The Lady Bears return to action next weekend Saturday, March 28-Sunday, March 29, when they host Coppin State in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opener for both teams. The two teams will meet in a doubleheader on Saturday, before closing out the three-game series with a single game on Sunday. All three games will be played at Lois T. Murray Field.