Lady Cougars Return Home to Split with Malone


	Lady Cougar Softball Recap Lady Cougars Return Home to Split with Malone written by Dave Parsons, Sports Information Director Game #1 Boxscore \| Game #2 Boxscore MOUNT VERNON, Ohio (4-10-2012) - After 20 straight games on the road, the Mount Vernon Nazarene University women's fastpitch softball team returned to the friendly confines of Cougar Field on Tuesday afternoon and split a non-conference doubleheader with Malone University falling 5-2 in the opener and then rallying for an 11-10 win in the nightcap. The visiting Lady Pioneers (6-20) took an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning of game one as a pair of MVNU errors led to three unearned runs crossing the plate. After Malone tacked on another run in the top of the third inning, the Lady Cougars (7-18) closed the gap to 4-2 in the bottom of the third inning when junior second baseman Brittney Kuhn blasted a two-run homer with two outs. However, that would be as close as MVNU would get as the Lady Pioneers added an insurance run in the top of the fourth inning and held on for the 5-2 victory. Sophomore right-hander Ashley Riffell (2-8) suffered the loss for the Lady Cougars as she gave up nine hits, three walks, and five runs (only two earned) over seven innings with eight strikeouts. Meanwhile, Shelby Snyder (4-7) earned the win as she scattered 10 hits and two unearned runs over seven innings with three strikeouts. Riffell, freshman outfielder/catcher Morgan Wade, and senior outfielder Jenn Gulley each had two hits to pace MVNU, while Sarah Samblanet and Kristen Atzenhoefer had three hits apiece to lead Malone. The Lady Pioneers appeared headed to a sweep of the doubleheader after two trips to the plate in the second game as Malone score three runs in the top of the first inning and four more runs in the top of the second inning to take a seemingly comfortable 7-0 lead. However, the Lady Cougars responded with three runs in the bottom of the second inning and four runs in the bottom of the third inning to knot the score at 7-7. Junior third baseman Kelsey Berryman's three-run homer in the second inning - her first of the year - accounted for all the damage in that frame, while freshman first baseman Grace Basinger had a two-run triple, Wade drove in one run with an RBI double, and Berryman *(left)* capped off the scoring in the bottom of the third inning with a run-scoring single. Single runs in both the top of the fourth and fifth innings gave the Lady Pioneers a 9-7 advantage, but MVNU once again tied the score in the bottom of the fifth inning with an RBI triple by senior pitcher Meagan Stott and a sacrifice fly by Berryman to make it 9-9. Malone once again took the lead with a two-out RBI single in the top of the sixth inning, but just as they had done all game the Lady Cougars had an answer. Gulley ripped a two-run double to left center to give MVNU its first lead of the game at 11-10. In the top of the seventh inning, the Lady Cougars were able to keep the Lady Pioneers from scoring as they prevailed 11-10. Junior right-hander Jill Wildermuth started and lasted just one batter into the second inning as she allowed three walks and four runs (only one earned) in one-plus inning with two strikeouts. Senior right-hander Meagan Stott (1-4) came on and tossed the final six innings to pick up the win as she scattered seven hits, two walks, and six runs (three earned) with three strikeouts. Stephanie Byrne started the game for Malone and lasted just 2.1 innings with five hits, three walks, and seven runs with only one strikeout. Nicol Chesley (1-9) tossed the final 3.2 innings and gave up seven hits, three walks, and four runs as she took the loss. Berryman paced the MVNU offensive attack with two hits and five RBI, while Basinger added three hits, two runs, and two RBI. Gulley and Stott also tallied two hits apiece. Atzenhoefer and Samblanet each contributed two hits to Malone's offense, but it was not enough as the Lady Cougars were able to end the team's 11-game losing streak. MVNU will return to action on Thursday when the Lady Cougars will travel to Spring Arbor (Mich.) University for a Mid-Central College Conference doubleheader that will start at 3 p.m.

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