Titusville, Florida – Shawnee State softball began their season on Sunday at the Cocoa Beach Spring Training Classic. The Bears dropped their first game to Benedictine (Kan.) 7-3, but rallied to defeat Edward Waters (Fla.) 8-4 and Penn State-Hazleton 6-1.
Game One
Shawnee State would take an early lead in the bottom of the first against Benedictine. Ashtyn Saunders (SO/Lancaster, Ohio) would lead off the inning by getting hit by a pitch, and would come around with one out on Marisa Brown (JR/Liberty Township, Ohio)'s two-run home run. SSU would hold on to their 2-0 lead after two innings of play.
The Ravens would rally for three runs in the top of the third. Four straight Benedictine singles would see Alex Burris drive in Lily Ross with the bases loaded. McKenzie Whittaker (JR/McDermott, Ohio) would then walk Sarah Methvin to drive in the tying run. Whittaker would walk another batter with the bases loaded with two outs, this time walking Abby Hyde to put Benedictine up 3-2 after three.
Shawnee State would rally to tie the score in the bottom of the fourth. Maureen Wolansky (FR/Cleveland, Ohio) would single to lead off the frame, and would get to second when Mackenzie Riley (JR/Proctorville, Ohio)'s grounder to Lily Ross was misplayed. Haley Rawlins (SO/South Point, Ohio) would bunt the runners over, and Megan Shupert-Martin (JR/West Portsmouth, Ohio)'s single would drive in Wolansky to tie the score.
Benedictine would rally for four runs in the top of the seventh. Methvin would lead off with a single, and Tiffani Ray would walk to put two on with nobody out. Whittaker would then misplay a grounder from Megan Henderson to load the bases. Regina Splane would single with one out to drive in Methvin as the go-ahead run. Ross would hit a sacrifice fly to make the score 5-3, and Molly Chevalier would triple in two runs to make the score 7-3. Shawnee State would be unable to mount a rally in the bottom half to drop their season opener.
Erin Ziebarth allowed three runs on eight hits in seven innings to get the win. McKenzie Whittaker allowed seven runs on 11 hits in seven innings to take the loss.
Game Two
Shawnee State would rebound for a win in game two over Edward Waters, but it would be the Tigers who took an early lead. Samantha Hiley would hit a solo home run to put Edward Waters up 1-0 after the top of the first.
Shawnee State would rally into the lead in the bottom of the second inning. Stacy Trenholm (FR/Lancaster, Ohio) would double to lead off the inning, and would score on Tatum Wise's single to tie the game at 1-1. Victoria Bevington (SO/London, Ohio) and Haley Rawlins would hit back-to-back singles, scoring Wise. Bevington would score on Riley's single after Brooke Spaulding's wild throw, putting SSU up 3-1. Michal Cunningham (SO/Wheelersburg, Ohio) would drive in Rawlins with a single to put Shawnee State up 4-1 after two.
Edward Waters would tack on two in the top of the third, but Shawnee State would rally for two more runs in the bottom of the fourth. With two on and two out after an error, Ashtyn Saunders would single, driving in Bailey Kemp (FR/Circleville, Ohio) and Cunningham to extend SSU's lead to 6-3. Shawnee State would add two more runs in the bottom of the fifth as well. After a Kayla Koch (SR/Lucasville, Ohio) walk and Stacy Trenholm double, Tatum Wise would double to drive both runners in and put SSU up 8-3. Edward Waters would add a run in the seventh, but were unable to catch Shawnee State as the Bears won their first game of the season.
Tatum Wise picked up the win, allowing four runs on four hits in seven innings pitched, striking out five. Gabrielle Williamson allowed six runs on seven hits in four innings to take the loss for Edward Waters.
Game Three
Kayla Koch would get the scoring started in Shawnee State's third game of the day against Penn State-Hazleton, hitting a solo shot in the top of the second. Stacy Trenholm would follow by reaching on an error by PSU-H shortstop Jerrika Chorba, and would score on Mackenzie Riley's triple. Shawnee State led 2-0 after one and a half innings.
The Bears would tack on another run in the top of the third. Katyln Gleich would reach on an error, and would get to second on a stolen base. After a Marisa Brown walk, Kayla Koch would fly out, putting two outs on the board. Gleich and Brown would double-steal to reach second and third. Gleich would then score on Trenholm's single to left, giving Shawnee State a 3-0 lead.
The Bears would add two runs in the fifth. With runners at first and second with two outs, Morgan Rearick (FR/Canal Fulton, Ohio) would reach on an error by the second baseman, scoring Trenholm in the process. Ashtyn Saunders would then single to score Tatum Wise, giving SSU a 6-0 lead. Penn State-Hazleton would get on the board in the bottom of the seventh, but their rally would fall short.
Kayla Koch allowed one run on two hits in seven innings pitched, striking out five to get the win. Danielle King took the loss, allowing three runs on three hits in three innings.
The three games would see Shawnee State begin the season 2-1.
Shawnee State played two more games on Monday, March 5 against Penn State-Hazleton and Rochester (Mich.). A release on those games will come when stats are available.
