PC Pulls Away for 10-2 Victory at Liberty
4/4/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Presbyterian scored eight unanswered runs on Saturday, pulling away for a 10-2, five-inning victory over Liberty at Kamphuis Field at Liberty Softball Stadium.
PC (16-16, 6-5 Big South) salvaged one win in the three-game series and snapped a five-game losing streak. The Lady Flames (17-20, 6-6) won the series over Presbyterian, 2-1, claiming two games on Friday.
Senior Jill McLean went 3-for-3 with two RBI and two stolen bases for the Blue Hose. Senior Courtney Lawton batted 2-for-3 with two RBi and two runs scored, while junior Kerstn Legacki and sophomore Blaire Miller both went 2-for-3.
Liberty freshman Alexia Taylor batted 2-for-2 with her fifth home run of the season, while freshman Tori Zavodny hit her fifth homer of the campaign. Taylor's two-hit game was the 12th of her career.
Presbyterian senior Kensley Loudermelk (10-6) earned the victory in relief, allowing one run on four hits, striking out five and walking four in three innings of work. Starter Sydney Seigler yielded one run on two hits, struck out one and walked two batters during the first two innings.
Redshirt sophomore Kenzie Friesen (5-9) takes the loss after giving up five runs (four earned) on eight hits, walking one and fanning one in 3 2/3 innings. Redshirt junior Chandler Ball pitched the final 1 1/3 innings, allowing five runs (one earned) on three hits, with two walks and two strikeouts.
McLean sparked a first-inning rally for PC. She drew a leadoff walk and stole second. Erin Ruff then came through with a one-out RBI single for a 1-0 lead.
The Lady Flames put two runners on during the bottom of the first. Taylor singled and Zavodny drew a walk. Seigler got out of the jam with an inning-ending popout.
After a scoreless second inning, PC manufactured a run. Blair Miller and McLean singled with no outs. Miller then scored on a squeeze bunt by Petik, good for a 2-0 edge. A Ruff groundout ended the inning.
Taylor sliced the deficit in half, launching a solo shot to left to open the home half of the third. Loudermelk then entered the circle in relief of Seigler and induced a double play. Zavodny then tied the game with a solo home run of her own. Loudermelk fanned McCoy, ending the inning.
PC regained its lead, plating three runs in the top of the fourth. With runners on second and third and two outs, Lawton and Miller hit back-to-back RBI singles. McLean then beat out an infield single, with Lawton scoring the Blue Hose's fifth run on a throwing error. Ball then relieved Friesen, striking out Petik.
Liberty loaded the bases during its fifth time at bat. Jamie Crisp singled, Taylor walked and Megan Robinson hit an infield single. Loudermelk left all three runners on, getting Allen to ground out for the third out.
The Blue Hose scored five runs on three hits during the fifth stanza, taking advantage of two Lady Flames errors. With the big inning, PC built its lead to 10-2.
With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Madison Kotchey drew a walk and Kassidy McCoy followed by singling the right. Loudermelk struck out the next two batters, sealing the victory for the visitors.
The Lady Flames conclude their nine-game homestand next week, hosting Radford for a Big South series, Tuesday and Wednesday at Liberty Softball Stadium. Tuesday's doubleheader begins at 2 p.m., while the two teams will play one game on Wednesday at 2 p.m.