CLERMONT, Fla.—Gordon Softball split a pair of games on Tuesday evening, winning their first game of the season against Becker in the second of their doubleheader. The Fighting Scots kept a talented Lake Forest College team to minimal scoring through the first five innings before losing 8-0. In game two,
Rachel Ryder (Telford, Pa.) capped off a complete game effort with a solo home run to help beat Becker 4-2.
In game one, Gordon starter
Abigail Knowlton (Deer Isle, Maine) rolled through the first two batters of the inning before the Foresters were able to put together a two-out rally. Alex Hemmer (Mundelein, Ill.) earned a walked and stole second base to give a sudden threat to the Lake Forest offense. The next batter, Sally Snarski (Waukegan, Ill.) poked a single into the outfield grass to score Hemmer from second and give the Foresters the first-inning lead.
The Fighting Scots were unable to get much going against Lake Forest starter Jessi Werner (Temperance, Mich.), not getting a hit until the bottom of the sixth inning. Knowlton was able to keep the Foresters at bat as well, only allowing three runs over the first five innings of work.
Lake Forest scored five runs during the last two innings to put some space between the two teams.
Marissa Meenan (Wayne, Pa.) singled in the sixth inning for Gordon, which ended up as their only base hit of the game.
The progression of improvement over the first three games finally paid dividends for the Fighting Scots in game two.
Gordon got on the scoreboard in the top half of the first inning after Rachel Ryder earned an opening inning walk. Ryder eventually advanced to third and scored on a single by
Emily Kline (Park Ridge, N.J.) for a 1-0 lead.
After Becker tied the game in the bottom of the second, Gordon regained the lead in the top of the fourth frame.
Sarah Ryder's (Telford, Pa.) first career hit was a triple and she scored just one play later when
Gabriel Roberts (Center Conway, N.H.) reached on an error by the Hawks' second baseman.
The lead was short-lived however, with the Hawks answering back in the bottom half of the frame. An inning-opening error hurt the Fighting Scots, as Brianna Herforth (Peru, Mass.) was able to eventually score on a groundout that would have ended the inning.
The game remained tied at two until the six inning. Meenan reached base on a fielding error to start the frame and made it to third after the Hawks couldn't contain a proposed sacrifice bunt by Kline. After another sacrifice to put runners on second and third, Kline was able to make it home from third on a passed ball by the catcher.
Rachel Ryder's solo shot gave Gordon extra run support in the top half of the seventh and Kline shut down Becker in the final half inning to beat the Hawks 4-2. Kline earned her first collegiate win on the mound, allowing two hits and striking out four batters.
Gordon had the day off on Wednesday, but will return for two more games on Thursday beginning at 9 a.m. Simmons and Emerson are the two teams on the docket for the Fightint Scots.
