Balanced effort leads LHU to sweep of Goldey-Beacom

WILMINGTON, De. – The Lock Haven University softball team (19-13) used a solid balance of timely hitting and dominant pitching to lead the way as LHU swept Goldey-Beacom College (8-22) in a doubleheader Monday in Wilmington, Delaware. The Bald Eagles took both games by a score of 6-1 over The Lightning.

Game One: W, 6-1 Lock Haven captured the win in game one, 6-1. After GBC opened the game with a 1-0 lead through two innings of play, LHU was able to tie it up at 1-1 in the third, thanks to an RBI double from Becca Caputo (Williamsport, Pa./Jersey Shore). Still tied 1-1 in the seventh, The Bald Eagles opened the floodgates and scored five runs to take a commanding five run lead and led 6-1 heading to the bottom of the seventh. Bekah Slattery (Douglasville, Pa./Daniel Boone) shut the door on this one and Lock Haven was able to win game one, 6-1.

Caputo had a big game at the plate, going 2-4 with two doubles, three RBI’s and a run scored. Her two-run double in the top of the seventh put LHU ahead 3-1 and sparked the team as they hung five runs on the scoreboard in the inning. Amanda Criss (Bel Air, Md./Bel Air) added two hits and two runs scored for the Bald Eagles while Casey Carpenter (Spring Brook, Pa./ North Pocono), Rachel Gricoski (Frackville, Pa./North Schuylkill) and Madison Mathes (Hammonton, Pa./Hammonton) all finished with RBI’s. Carpenter also added a double.

Slattery was once again stellar on the mound, throwing a complete game four-hitter. She allowed just one earned run and struck out 14 for the third consecutive game and has 54 strikeouts over her last four starts. The 14 strikeouts in the game took Slattery to over 700 K’s in her career. She currently sits at 707 strikeouts, good for second all-time in a Lock Haven career. She trails only LHU great and two-time National Player of the Year Kristin Erb, who sits at 1388 career K’s.

Game Two: W, 6-1 LHU took game two by a final score of 6-1 to sweep the doubleheader over GBC. This game turned out to be a pitchers dual, as the teams were tied at 0-0 until the sixth inning until Criss drilled a bases-loaded double to left field that cleared the bases and put Lock Haven ahead 3-0. The Lightning cut the lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the inning, but The Bald Eagles tacked on three more runs in the top of the seventh to extend the lead to 6-1 and held on to get the win and the sweep.

Caputo and Criss led the way in game two offensively as the duo recorded five RBI’s for Lock Haven. Caputo finished 2-4 with a run scored and two RBI’s while Criss finished 2-3 with a double and three RBI’s. Kayla Gee (Williamsport, Pa./Loyalsock) pitched a gem in the circle for LHU, throwing 5 innings while allowing just two hits, no earned runs and struck out five. She did not allow a hit through her first five innings in the game.

Up Next: The Bald Eagles will have a few days off after playing six games over the last three days. LHU will return to the field Friday, April 12 when the teams hosts Mansfield University in a PSAC Central doubleheader matchup. Those games are scheduled for 2:30/4:30 start times.