Lady Railsplitters Fall In Final Innings Of Doubleheader Sweep Against Tiffin University
February 17, 2012
Photo by Allen Earl PhotographyHARROGATE, TN -- The Lady Railsplitters pushed the Tiffin University Dragons beyond the limit in Friday's doubleheader but they would fall short as the Dragons swept Lincoln Memorial by scores of 2-0, in ten innings, and 4-3 at Dorothy Neely Field. With the sweep, the Lady Railsplitters drop to 3-3 on the season.
In game one, the two teams battled offensively as a pitchers' duel ensued throughout the contest. The best scoring opportunity in the firs two innings went to the Lady Railsplitters as Sarah Walz, who reached on a walk, made it to third on a wild pitch with no outs in the inning. The next three batters went down in order as Walz was stranded at third.
The remainder of regulation played out to a 0-0 tie and the game was forced into extra innings, where the inning is started with a runner on second base. The Lady Railsplitters had their best scoring chance in the bottom of the eighth, when Kelly Dreier reached third on a sacrifice bunt with one out in the frame. The next two batters were sat down in order to get the game tied at 0-0 heading into the ninth.
After a scoreless ninth, the Dragons broke onto the board with Amanda Temple's RBI-single in the top of the tenth. They would score another run in that frame to make it a 2-0 heading into the Lady Railsplitters' half of the tenth. The Lady Railsplitters loaded the bases in that frame after a walk by Chelley Christian and a single from Taylor McGinnis with two outs. LMU could not capitalize as they fell in game one by a score of 2-0.
Cierra Mudd was saddled with the loss despite her outstanding performance on the rubber. She threw eight and two thirds while allowing seven hits, one earned run, and striking out eight Dragons.
Taylor McGinnis recorded the lone hit in the game for the Lady Railsplitters as Amber Young picked up the win with a complete game. She struck out 22 batters in the game which fell one short of the NCAA record.
In game two, the Lady Railsplitters broke out of their offensive slump by taking the early lead. In the second frame, Kristi Franz singled following Sarah Walz's walk and Walz was forced home by an errant throw from the Dragon right fielder.
After a scoreless third, Tiffin scored a run in the fourth on an error by the Lady Railsplitters to tie the game at one apiece. The Lady Railsplitters quickly regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth. Kristi Franz opened that frame with a one-out double and she was shortly thereafter moved to third on a wild pitch. Jordyn Wilson drove Franz home with a sacrifice fly and Lincoln Memorial took a 2-1 lead.
Tiffin University tied the game in the top of the sixth and the Lady Railsplitters answered with a run of their own in the bottom half of that frame. Sarah Walz drove home Amanda Snow, who reached on a fielder's choice, with a single.
In the top of the seventh, the Dragons rallied for two runs to take the lead. Stephanie Bobotas led off with a walk and Lauren Mazzuca reached safely as she was hit by a pitch. Amanda Temple doubled home Bobotas. Mazzuca scored the final run of that frame on a wild pitch as the Dragons took a 4-3 lead. The Lady Railsplitters went down in order in the seventh as they fell in game two, 4-3.
Amanda Snow was handed the loss despite seven strong innings in which she allowed three earned runs and six hits. She drops to 1-1 on the season. Kristi Franz was the standout offensive performer for the Lady Railsplitters as she recorded two of LMU's five hits.
Lincoln Memorial University will look to rebound as they hit the field tomorrow afternoon when they host Concord University for a doubleheader at Dorothy Neely Field. Game one is set to kick off at 1 p.m.
