TUSCON, Ariz. – The Baldwin Wallace University softball team opened the 2014 season by splitting a pair of games on the first day of the annual Tucson Invitational Games at the Lincoln Park.
The Yellow Jackets (1-1) opened the season with an extra-inning affair as they lost to Wisconsin Lutheran College by a final score of 7-6 in eight innings. BW came back with a 9-1 victory in six innings against Dickinson (Pa.) College in the second game.
Against the Warriors, the Yellow Jackets took leads of 2-1 after the first inning and 4-1 through the top of the third when senior All-Ohio Athletic Conference pitcher/designated player Tabitha Murray (Mogadore/Field) belted a two-run home run. Wisconsin Lutheran would score three runs in the third and fourth innings to tie the game at 4-4. The game was forced into extra innings and BW scored two in the top of the eighth but the Warriors came right back and scored three in the bottom half to secure the victory.
The Yellow Jacket offense scored four runs on 10 hits and was led by junior first baseman Mackenzie Brua (Avon) who went 2-for-3. Sophomore right fielder Alison Fiorucci (Seven Hills/Holy Name) was 2-for-4 with a double, triple and one RBI. Junior All-OAC second baseman Brittany Lightel (Tallmadge) and senior All-OAC shortstop Lauren Feciuch (Kent/Field) each went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Murray and senior All-OAC leftfielder Nikki Peskura (Strongsville) each added a hit.
On the mound, Murray (0-1) pitched seven and two thirds innings and allowed seven runs (6 earned) with 12 strikeouts and five walks.
In the game with the Red Devils, the BW offense pounded out 13 hits and scored 9 runs. The Yellow Jackets scored a run in the first and fourth before erupting with four runs in the fifth and three more in the sixth to end the game in a run rule.
Fiorucci led the BW offense with a career-best three hits (3-for-3) along with two RBI. Brua again went 2-for-3 and added two RBI. Feciuch and Murray each went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Freshmen DJ Rogers (Warren/Champion), Sydney Kimball (Brecksville/Brecksville-Broadview Heights) and Mackenzie Nelsen (Powell/Dublin Scioto) all recorded their first career-hits and Peskura added a base knock.
Freshman pitcher Samantha Dostall (Oberlin/Firelands) recorded her first career start and victory as she pitched six innings and allowed one earned run with five strikeouts and no walks.
The Yellow Jackets continue play at the Tucson Invitational Games on Monday, March 10 when they play games against Alfred (N.Y.) University and Dickinson. The first game against Alfred is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. and the Dickinson game will begin at 6:30 p.m. All game times are listed in Eastern Standard Time (EST).
FOR MORE BW SPORTS INFORMATION, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327 and e-mail at kruple@bw.edu or Assistant SID Jeff Miller by phone at 440-826-2780 and email at jefmille@bw.edu. Fans can access the latest BW athletics information at www.bwyellowjackets.com and we invite you to join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bwyellowjackets and Twitter at http://twitter.com/bwathletics.
