April 8, 2008

Pioneers Drop Games To Mount Union, Ashland

 
The Malone College softball team fell at NCAA Division III #18 Mount Union College 14-4 (five innings) and 12-4 (six innings) on Monday afternoon.  The Pioneers then dropped two more games at home on Tuesday to NCAA Division II Ashland University by final scores of 7-0 and 10-2.  Following Monday and Tuesday’s action, Malone’s record now stands at 8-12 overall.
 
Sophomore outfielder Morgan Heacock (Mt. Gilead H.S.) led off Monday’s opener at Mount Union with a triple and then scored on a groundout by senior centerfielder Ashlee Locker (Strasburg H.S.) to give the Pioneers an early 1-0 lead.  The Purple Raiders erupted for 12 runs in the bottom of the first inning, however, to quickly put the game out of reach.  Malone added three runs in the third, but it was not enough as Mount Union went on to record the 14-4, five-inning triumph.  Heacock smacked two triples in the contest and scored a pair of runs while Locker went 1-3 at the plate with two runs batted in.
 
Mount Union’s offensive continued to fire away in game two as the Purple Raiders scored 12 runs on 16 hits to secure a 12-4, six-inning victory.  The Pioneers tallied eights in the game as junior first baseman Ashleigh Ralston (Wadsworth H.S.) plated two runs with a second-inning double.  Heacock went 2-3 at the plate in the nightcap with one run scored.
 
In game one against Ashland on Tuesday, Malone committed five errors while being held to three hits in a 7-0 defeat.  Freshman pitcher Jessica Krska (Norton H.S.) went the distance on the mound for the Pioneers, taking the loss (3-3) after surrendering seven runs (six earned) on 13 hits over her seven innings of work. 
 
The Eagles took command of Tuesday’s finale with four runs in the top of the first inning and then stretched their advantage to as much as 10-0.  Malone got on the scoreboard with a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh, but the squad could not overcome the sizable deficit, falling by the 10-2 final.  Senior starting pitcher Kathryn Bzdafka (Avon Lake H.S.) started on the mound and took the loss (1-5) for the Pioneers after surrendering seven runs over 6.1 innings pitched.  Malone notched seven base hits in the contest as Heacock and freshman catcher Laura Ronk (St. Vincent-St. Mary H.S.) each went 2-3 at the plate.
 
The Pioneers (8-12 overall, 2-6 AMC North) will return to American Mideast Conference North Division play on Friday and Saturday with a pair of doubleheaders against Notre Dame (OH) College (7-7 overall, 4-2 AMC North). Malone will host a twinbill against the Falcons on Friday at 3:30 p.m. and will then travel to Notre Dame for two more games on Saturday at 1:00 p.m
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