NEW WILMINGTON, Pa.--The Westminster College softball team opened up its Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) slate Monday afternoon with a doubleheader sweep of visiting Franciscan University. The Titan posted a pair of five-inning, run-rule victories, taking game one 16-0 and game two 13-1.
Westminster, winners of five straight, improved to 9-5 overall and 2-0 in the league. Franciscan fell to 1-11 overall and 0-2 in the conference.
On Wednesday, Westminster will travel to PAC rival Washington & Jefferson College. The conference doubleheader is scheduled to get underway at 3:30 p.m.
Game 1: Westminster 16, Franciscan 0 (5 inn.)
Westminster racked up 11 hits, drew eight walks and had 11 different players finish with RBIs in the game one win.
Senior second base Liz Malczak (Grove City, Pa., Grove City), fifth-year first base Mackenzie Latess (New Castle, Pa., Laurel) and sophomore left fielder Olivia Plummer (Seneca, Pa., Cranberry) had two hits each. Malczak finished 2-for-2 with two doubles, an RBI and two runs scored while Latess went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored. She had a two-run single in the first that keyed the six-run frame. Plummer went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. She delivered a two-out, two-run single to center that extended Westminster's lead to 6-0 in the first inning. Freshman center fielder Leah Taliani (Arnold, Pa., Valley) drew three walks, scored twice and had an RBI
Junior third base Mia Meholick's (Dubois, Pa., Dubois Central Catholic) two-run triple to right center in the second inning extended the Titans' lead to 9-0. She also walked, stole a base and scored a pair of runs.
Graduate student Madison Brown (Lisbon, Ohio, East Liverpool) moved her record to 4-2 this season, striking out four and allowing three hits in two shutout innings. Junior
Jenna Boneysteele (Carnegie, Pa., Chartiers Valley) allowed one hit and struck out three in 2.0 innings of shutout relief. Freshman
Riley Salazar (Elizabeth, Pa., Elizabeth Forward) walked one and struck out three in the top of the fifth.
Katie Fluharty had a pair of base hits and also took the loss in the circle, allowing 16 runs (9 earned) on 11 hits with eight walks and three wild pitches. She also hit a pair of Westminster batters.
Game 2: Westminster 13, Franciscan 1 (5 inn.)
Up 3-1 midway through the second inning, Westminster scored four runs in the bottom of the frame and exploded for six more in the fourth. Freshman shortstop Ava Karpa's (Coraopolis, Pa., Moon) two-out, two-run double down the left field line capped the four-run second while eight-straight batters reached base to begin the six-run fourth inning. Latess led off the inning with a solo home run to left field. It was her second home run of the season and 22nd of her career.
Latess went 2-for-2 with a walk, two RBIs and two runs scored. Karpa finished 2-for-3 with two doubles, three RBIs and a run scored. Freshman right fielder Jadyn Malizia's (New Castle, Pa., Neshannock) RBI single in the fourth was the first hit of her collegiate career while Salazar's pinch hit RBI single in the fourth was the first of her career.
Senior Liz Malczak (Grove City, Pa., Grove City) improved to 5-2 in the circle with the win. She allowed one run (0 earned) on one hit with three strikeouts and a walk in 3.0 innings. Malczak also had an RBI double and scored on a wild pitch in the first and delivered a sacrifice fly in the second. Freshman Natalie Davis (Youngstown, Ohio, Boardman) and sophomore Emma Redlinger (Pittsburgh, Pa., Upper St. Clair) combined to throw a pair of hitless innings.
Fluharty was saddled with the game two loss, allowing 13 runs (8 earned) on 11 hits with eight walks and a strikeout in 4.0 innings. She scored on an errant throw in the second. Emma Davis' leadoff single was Franciscan's lone hit in the nightcap.
