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Knights split on Opening Day to start 2015 softball season

Posted 3/14/15

Clermont, FL - Jamie Bridge whiffed 10 and delivered an infield single that drove in the winning run to help the Clarkson University Softball team earn a split on opening day, downing Fredonia 4-3 …

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Knights split on Opening Day to start 2015 softball season

Posted

Clermont, FL - Jamie Bridge whiffed 10 and delivered an infield single that drove in the winning run to help the Clarkson University Softball team earn a split on opening day, downing Fredonia 4-3 before suffering a 2-0 loss to Heidelberg in the nightcap.

The Golden Knights start the season at 1-1, winning their first game earlier than last year when the team started 0-19. Fredonia began its season with a loss, while Heidelberg improved to 5-2.

In the opener for the Knights, Fredonia began the game with two runs in the first three innings. In the top of the second inning Cherise Gunnell singled, moved up on another second and reached third on a sacrifice bunt before coming around on a wild pitch. The next inning, Nikki Lent led off the inning with a triple to the left-center gap and quickly rounded the bases standing on third. An overthrow on the relay back in allowed Lent to score easily to give the Blue Devils a 2-0 lead. Clarkson quickly responded in the bottom half of the inning, tying the game with two runs of its own. Summer Lancette walked, stole second and then scored on an error which saw Jamie Bridge reach. Bridge then advanced on a wild pitch and came around on a double by Chelsea Elliott, tying the game at 2-2.

It wasn't until the bottom half of the sixth that Clarkson scored the runs that would clinch the win. With two outs and runners on second and third, Bridge hit a ball back up the box and she was able to beat the throw to first. Not only did that allow the runner to score from third, but Dunn never stopped running, coming home to give the Knights a 4-2 advantage. The run would be key as the Blue Devils scored one run when Gunnell doubled to lead off the top of the seventh and scored on a single. Bridge was able to pick up a groundball to end the game.

Bridge finished with 10 strikeouts, allowing just a single walk and six hits in seven innings. Aldyn Carlson gave up four hits and four walks, striking out three in six innings for Fredonia.

In game two, Heidelberg and Clarkson went scoreless for the first five frames, with each team getting out of jams. Clarkson was able to survive a first-inning threat when Chelsea Elliott snagged a pop fly and then shoveled the ball to first to complete a double play, and in the second Katie Pelton picked a liner out of the air to help minimize a threat. However, Heidelberg broke through in the bottom of the sixth when Abbey McKee led off the inning with a double to left. Kayla Zachrich singled up the middle to score one, and Randi Kelsey then delivered a two-out single to for a 2-0 lead, too much for the Knights to overcome.

Erin Chapman gained her second win of the season, allowing four hits and a walk, striking out six in seven innings. Katie Pelton was saddled with the loss, scattering nine hits and a walk in six innings, striking out a pair.