Freshman pitchers Nasca, Metz show off at home

Over the weekend, the Edinboro softball team picked up three out of a possible four wins, to improve their record to 11-17 overall and 5-9 in the PSAC.

On Saturday, the team defeated Gannon in the first game 2-1, but lost to them 7-3 in the following game of the doubleheader. The win snapped a four game losing streak for the Scots.

“[In] our four losses we played against some pretty good teams,” head coach Dan Gierlak said.

“This conference is a bear. It doesn’t matter what their record is, they’re good enough to beat you and you’re good enough to beat everybody else.”

Freshman pitcher Carley Nasca pitched a complete game, only letting in one run, which was unearned, and only allowed four hits. With the win, she improved her record to 4-6.

“Carley’s been throwing lights out the entire year. I think she’s one of the better pitchers in the conference. We haven’t played very good defense behind her and that’s disappointing,” Gierlak said.

Going into the third inning the Scots trailed 1-0. MaryLouise Lindner reached first on an error by the left fielder and was able to advance to second on an error.

Danna Heh got to first on a bunt single and then stole second to put runners on second and third base.

Olivia Jankowski was then up to bat and she hit a double, her fourth of the season, which allowed both runners to score and gave Edinboro a 2-1 lead. It was a lead they did not relinquish for the rest of the game.

Going into the second game Edinboro was looking for a season sweep of the Knights, but it was not in the cards.

Gannon got off to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning. The lead grew in the fourth inning as Jackie Martinez hit a single and a runner on third scored.

In the bottom of the fourth Edinboro was able to close in on the lead. Jankowski singled and Haley Struebing was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second.

On a throwing error on the next at bat, both runners scored to pull within one. Another Edinboro player tried to score later in the inning, but was signaled out at home on a disputed call.

“That’s a time when you need a shut down from your pitcher. It’s frustrating, but it’s what we’ve been doing all year. We’re too inconsistent,” Gierlak said.

The next inning Gannon scored another three runs to increase their lead to 6-2.

In the bottom of the fifth Heather Tighe and Taylor Payne led off the inning with singles. Heh was able to bring in Tighe to make the score 6-3.

The Knights added another in the top of the sixth and ended the game with a couple 1-2-3 innings.

Gierlak said the team did not attack the ball like they should have in the second game. He said it’s what they’ve been doing, but it didn’t happen today.

On Sunday, Edinboro was able to win both games in a double header against Mercyhurst.

In game one, Nasca pitched a three hit shutout in another complete game, moving to 5-6 on the season.

In the bottom of the first, the Scots scored their first of two runs for the game. Kylie Mason got on base with a single and Jankowski batted her home two at bats later.

With the bases loaded in the fifth, Mason scored again on a passed ball to give them a 2-0 lead, which they would hold for the rest of the game.

In the second game, freshman Amanda Metz got her first start of the season and threw a five hit shutout for the Scots. She is now 1-0 with her first career victory.

Edinboro scored their first two runs in the bottom of the third. Lindner led off the inning with a walk, which was followed by a sacrifice bunt from Mason to advance her to second.

Struebing singled to left field allowing Lindner to score and then Jankowski hit a triple, which drove in Struebing.

Payne led off the bottom of the fourth with a double and got to third on a passed ball. Tighe would hit a single through the gap and allowed Payne to score.

In the next inning Struebing hit a leadoff triple and Jankowski batted her in to add an insurance run.

Michael McLaughlin is the Sports Editor for The Spectator and he can be reached at sports.spectator@gmail.com.

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