Temple University Athletics
Wednesday, April 9
Towson, Md.
3 p.m.
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Photo by: Mitchell Leff
Prezioso Scores Game Winning Run in Temple Softball’s Come-From-Behind 6-5 Extra Inning Win at Towson; Owls Drop Opener 7-0
4.9.14 | Softball
TOWSON, Md. – Sarah Prezioso scored on an error in the top of the eighth inning, and the run stood as the Temple softball team came from behind to defeat Towson, 6-5, in the second game of a doubleheader on Wednesday, April 9. The Owls dropped the opener, 7-0, behind a perfect game from a Towson pitcher.
The Owls fell into an early hole in the opener when Towson pitcher Missy McCormick helped herself with a three-run shot over the right centerfield fence in the bottom of the first. Hailey Balk had singled and Maureen Hepner was hit by pitch to give her a pair of runners.
The host team added two more runs in the second, taking advantage of three hits and one error. Delanie Dunham and Nicole Delgado reached via error and single, respectively, before Yarbrough's RBI single to center field scored Dunham. Owls' centerfielder Annie Marcopolus made a great throw to third to get Delgado trying to get two bases out of the hit for the second out. But Balk delivered again with a single to right, plating Yarbrough from second.
The hits kept coming for the Tigers as Jessica South led off the fourth with a solo homerun over the leftfield fence. A Dunham single on the next pitch forced a pitching change for the Owls. Kylie Kristovich came on to replace Jessica Mahoney, getting a quick out before giving up a single to put runners on the corners. Balk then hit a deep ball to centerfield that scored Dunham from third to make it 7-0, but TU got out of further damage when Marcopolus's throw to second caught Yarbrough trying to tag up from first.
Kristovich settled in and allowed just one baserunner over the final two innings, but it was McCormick's (9-5) impressive performance on the mound that stole the show. The junior tossed a perfect game for Towson, facing the minimum 21 batters and fanning five. Mahoney (1-7) took the loss, lasting 3.0 innings, surrendering seven hits and seven runs, five of those earned.
The nightcap looked like it might be much of the same as the host team jumped out to a 4-0 lead after three innings. The TU offense finally got a little momentum in the third inning as the Owls collected three hits, but ultimately left the bases loaded. One of the hits in the frame was a leadoff single from Kate Roth, the first hit of her career.
The Cherry & White got on the board with a solo run in the fourth to score for the first time in 19 innings. Prezioso delivered a two-out single to left field that scored Gina Pellechio, who had reached via error earlier in the inning.
After the Tigers got that run back in their half of the frame and the game stood at 5-1 in their favor, both teams went scoreless in the fifth. And then Temple used the sixth inning to make a game of things, collecting five hits and scoring four times to tie the game up at 5-5. The Owls opened the inning with four-straight singles, including Roth's RBI infield hit.
Towson made a pitching change and brought in the first game star McCormick, but the magic seemed to have disappeared as the very first batter she faced, Prezioso, walked to force in another run. One out later, Cassidy Trause drove in two runs with her single up the middle, tying the game at 5-5.
There were several firsts in the inning as Kristovich, Gatt and Trause all collected their first career hits in the frame.
The Tigers threatened to end it in the bottom of the seventh, getting two runners on with two outs. But Kelsey Dominik, who had started the game on the mound before bowing out for Gatt, reentered and got a lineout back to the mound to get out of the threat and send the game to extra innings.
One out into the first extra frame, Prezioso singles to left field. A few pitches later, she stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error to get into scoring position. The aggressiveness on the path paid off as Annie Marcopolus's ball hit to third was underthrown to first, allowing Prezioso to score the go-ahead run on the miscue.
TU held the one-run lead entering the bottom of the eighth. A leadoff walk put the tying run on, but an unassisted putout at first, followed by runner's interference put the Owls one out away from victory. Dominik took it from there, striking out the final batter looking to complete the comeback.
After being shutout in the first game, the Cherry & White got 12 hits in the nightcap, including two each from Prezioso (2-for-4), Marcopolus (2-for-5), Julia Kastner (2-for-4) and Roth (2-for-4).
Dominik improved to 7-6 with a hard fought win in 4.1 innings of work, allowing three hits, striking out three and walking one. McCormick (9-6) took the loss in 3.0 innings of action, giving up two hits and one run, one walk and three strikeouts.
TU is 11-18 overall and will return to play with a doubleheader against Rutgers at home on Saturday, April 12, beginning at 12 p.m.
For more information on Temple softball, visit www.facebook.com/Temple-University-Softball, and www.twitter.com/Temple_Softball.
The Owls fell into an early hole in the opener when Towson pitcher Missy McCormick helped herself with a three-run shot over the right centerfield fence in the bottom of the first. Hailey Balk had singled and Maureen Hepner was hit by pitch to give her a pair of runners.
The host team added two more runs in the second, taking advantage of three hits and one error. Delanie Dunham and Nicole Delgado reached via error and single, respectively, before Yarbrough's RBI single to center field scored Dunham. Owls' centerfielder Annie Marcopolus made a great throw to third to get Delgado trying to get two bases out of the hit for the second out. But Balk delivered again with a single to right, plating Yarbrough from second.
The hits kept coming for the Tigers as Jessica South led off the fourth with a solo homerun over the leftfield fence. A Dunham single on the next pitch forced a pitching change for the Owls. Kylie Kristovich came on to replace Jessica Mahoney, getting a quick out before giving up a single to put runners on the corners. Balk then hit a deep ball to centerfield that scored Dunham from third to make it 7-0, but TU got out of further damage when Marcopolus's throw to second caught Yarbrough trying to tag up from first.
Kristovich settled in and allowed just one baserunner over the final two innings, but it was McCormick's (9-5) impressive performance on the mound that stole the show. The junior tossed a perfect game for Towson, facing the minimum 21 batters and fanning five. Mahoney (1-7) took the loss, lasting 3.0 innings, surrendering seven hits and seven runs, five of those earned.
The nightcap looked like it might be much of the same as the host team jumped out to a 4-0 lead after three innings. The TU offense finally got a little momentum in the third inning as the Owls collected three hits, but ultimately left the bases loaded. One of the hits in the frame was a leadoff single from Kate Roth, the first hit of her career.
The Cherry & White got on the board with a solo run in the fourth to score for the first time in 19 innings. Prezioso delivered a two-out single to left field that scored Gina Pellechio, who had reached via error earlier in the inning.
After the Tigers got that run back in their half of the frame and the game stood at 5-1 in their favor, both teams went scoreless in the fifth. And then Temple used the sixth inning to make a game of things, collecting five hits and scoring four times to tie the game up at 5-5. The Owls opened the inning with four-straight singles, including Roth's RBI infield hit.
Towson made a pitching change and brought in the first game star McCormick, but the magic seemed to have disappeared as the very first batter she faced, Prezioso, walked to force in another run. One out later, Cassidy Trause drove in two runs with her single up the middle, tying the game at 5-5.
There were several firsts in the inning as Kristovich, Gatt and Trause all collected their first career hits in the frame.
The Tigers threatened to end it in the bottom of the seventh, getting two runners on with two outs. But Kelsey Dominik, who had started the game on the mound before bowing out for Gatt, reentered and got a lineout back to the mound to get out of the threat and send the game to extra innings.
One out into the first extra frame, Prezioso singles to left field. A few pitches later, she stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error to get into scoring position. The aggressiveness on the path paid off as Annie Marcopolus's ball hit to third was underthrown to first, allowing Prezioso to score the go-ahead run on the miscue.
TU held the one-run lead entering the bottom of the eighth. A leadoff walk put the tying run on, but an unassisted putout at first, followed by runner's interference put the Owls one out away from victory. Dominik took it from there, striking out the final batter looking to complete the comeback.
After being shutout in the first game, the Cherry & White got 12 hits in the nightcap, including two each from Prezioso (2-for-4), Marcopolus (2-for-5), Julia Kastner (2-for-4) and Roth (2-for-4).
Dominik improved to 7-6 with a hard fought win in 4.1 innings of work, allowing three hits, striking out three and walking one. McCormick (9-6) took the loss in 3.0 innings of action, giving up two hits and one run, one walk and three strikeouts.
TU is 11-18 overall and will return to play with a doubleheader against Rutgers at home on Saturday, April 12, beginning at 12 p.m.
For more information on Temple softball, visit www.facebook.com/Temple-University-Softball, and www.twitter.com/Temple_Softball.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: McCormick, Missy (9-5)
L: Mahoney, Jessica (1-7)
Batting:
HR: McCormick, Missy 1 ; South, Jessica 1
RBI: Yarbrough, Olivia 1 ; Balk, Hailey 2 ; McCormick, Missy 3 ; South, Jessica 1
SF: Balk, Hailey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Yarbrough, Olivia 1 ; Balk, Hailey 1 ; Hepner, Maureen 1 ; McCormick, Missy 1 ; South, Jessica 1 ; Dunham, Delanie 2
HBP: Hepner, Maureen 2
Game Leaders
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