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Box Score 2 Crestview Hills, KY – The Transylvania softball team resumed their nonconference schedule with a trip up to the campus of Thomas More College to face the Saints on Sunday afternoon in a doubleheader affair.
Both games featured hard tussles that ended up favoring the home team Saints in both contests as Thomas More took Game One, 5-2 and the second game 5-3 in a contest that needed ten innings to decide a winner.
The Pioneers gathered four hits in Game One, led by Shelby Gambrell who went 1-for-3 from the plate and added a walk in the performance. Meg Liter went all six innings in Game One, scattering five hits over that span on the way to a two strikeout day while allowing three earned runs.
Transylvania's key highlight came in the sixth inning, when Lauren Willett's two-run home run put the Pioneers on the board and within reach at 5-2.
The Pioneers tried to mount one final run in the top of the seventh as a walk by Jordan Kramer and a base hit by Gambrell set up the tying run at the plate with two outs. But as Willett flew out, the Pioneers looked ahead to Game Two of the afternoon for redemption.
Transylvania aimed to quickly make amends for their opening game 5-2 defeat by quickly notching two runs in the top of the first. An infield error allowed Brittany Mumford to score the first run of the game as the second baseman took off from third. Transylvania's lead sharpened as Shelbi Poehlein followed with a solo home run for a 2-0 Pioneer lead after the first half inning of the contest.
The score remained unchanged through the next three innings before the Saints finally found an answer against the tireless Jenna Stiles, who ended up working a complete game against Thomas More. In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Saints used a single to drive in one run to cut Transylvania's lead to 2-1. The Pioneers extinguished any remaining threat in the inning by inducing Staci Stewart into a double play to conclude matters.
Stiles remained supreme throughout the day save for a two-run home run that came in the bottom of the sixth inning for Thomas More as the Saints took their first lead of the day at 3-2. With opportunities waning for Transylvania, the Pioneers delivered a huge moment in the top of the seventh. After Liter was hit by a pitch and replaced by pinch-runner Miranda Mathews, freshman Jessica Powell came through with a single to put runners on the corners. Gambrell followed with another clutch RBI to score Mathews and tie the game again at three-all. Thomas More did all they could to escape the top of the seventh inning and move to the bottom of the seventh still tied at 3-3.
After the Saints put two runners on in the bottom of the seventh, Stiles escaped the seventh when she induced Dallis Knotts into a groundout to the left side to strand two and keep Transylvania alive.
The eighth inning produced an offensive standstill for both sides and both teams came up with creative defensive plays in the ninth inning to leave the scored deadlocked at 3-3.
Two walked batters in the top of the 10th inning provided Transylvania with a glimmer of hope, but the Pios stranded two and Thomas More quickly ended the game on a home run by Alix DeDreu to finish the afternoon.
The Pioneers enjoyed a 2-for-5 outing from Brittany Mumford in the second game, while Jessica Powell had a powerful game towards the bottom of the order with three hits. Poehlein kept up her power game with a home run, making it her second of the season.
Transylvania quickly returns to action on Tuesday as they host rival Centre for a double on Tuesday, April 5th. The Transylvania Athletics Department will also host Staff Appreciation Day prior to the doubleheader. All staff members at Transylvania are invited for a barbecue, games, and additional festivities prior to Tuesday's afternoon contests.
