Mount Union scored early in Thursday’s softball game, holding off the Lady Eagles for a 4-2 win at the Harry Sickler Athletic Complex. The Eagles were unable to pull out the hits they needed and only managed to score single runs in the 5th and 6th innings after Mount Union had taken a 4-0 advantage.
Tyrone’s strong defense held the Mount Union team off only until the second inning, in which the visitors scored the first of four runs to seal the game almost immediately.
Early multiple hits by Hilary McNelis and Ashley Pennabaker for Tyrone, and RBIs from Pennabaker and Kim Cherry were promising but ultimately fruitless.
Tyrone senior pitcher Hilary McNelis finished the day with zero walks or strikeouts, a fact which surprised Tyrone head coach Lois Loncher.
Neither pitcher walked a batter, Tyrone committed two errors and the Lady Trojans had one miscue.
The Lady Eagles dropped the game with 26 at bats and two errors.
Coach Loncher was somber after the game and discussed the Lady Eagle’s strategy coming off of two consecutive losses.
“We’re playing better than our record indicates. We’ll just have to keep working at it, keep working on things and go from there.”
The loss dropped the Lady Eagle’s record to 0-2.
They travel to Philipsburg-Osceola Tuesday, April 5, with the first pitch set for 4:30 p.m.
Mount Union 4 Tyrone 2
MOUNT UNION- Lantz, 4-1-1; Aurand, 4-0-2; Smith, 4-0-0; Price, 3-1-1; Morrison, 3-0-0; Brown, 3-2-2; Feathers, 3-0-0; Knepp, 3-0-0; Kitting, P, 3-0-0. TOTALS: 29-4-6.
TYRONE- K. Whitby, CF, 4-0-0; H. McNelis, P, 3-1-2; M. Stager, 2B, 2-0-0; T. Cherry, C, 3-0-1; S. Bryan, SS, 3-0-0; M. Turiano, 3B, 2-0-0; M. McAllister, PH, 1-0-0; H. Stanton, 1B, 2-1-1; A. Ripka, LF, 3-0-0; A. Pennabaker, RF, 3-0-2. TOTALS: 26-2-6.
Mount Union: 020 110 0 4-6-1.
Tyrone: 000 011 0 2-6-3.
Multiple Hits: (MU) Brown (2), Aurand (2) (T) McNelis (2)), Pennabaker (2).
Doubles: (MU) Price, Brown
RBI: (MU) Aurand (1), Brown (1), Knepp (1) (T) Cherry, (1), Pennabaker (1).
SO: MU Kitting (3).
WP: Kitting LP: McNelis.
