WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The nationally-ranked Saint Anselm College softball team split its two games on Wednesday, shutting out Kentucky Wesleyan by an 8-0 score in six innings before falling 3-2 to Georgian Court in a hard-fought battle at DiamondPlex Softball Complex.
The Hawks, who remain 12th in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches' Association (NFCA) Division II Top 25 poll, released on Wednesday, sit at 13-3 on the year. The Panthers drop to 4-12 while the Lions, competing in last season's 2019 NCAA Division II East Regional pod at Saint Anselm, improve to 4-10 in the 2020 season.
Leading by three, the Hawks scored five runs in the sixth inning to complete the shutout victory, 8-0, against the Panthers. Junior Bre Klaiber (Ironton, Ohio) powered the Hawks offense in game one, driving in three runs on a season-high three hits.
In game one, senior pitcher Morgan Perry (Bethany, Conn.) tied Andrea Messina '03 for second place on the program's shutout list with 24. Perry also passed Courtney Marden '98 for fifth place with 58 complete games in her career at Saint Anselm.
Despite building an early 2-1 lead in the third inning, the Hawks were unable to score late as Georgian Court converted key scoring chances to earn a 3-2 victory. The win for Georgian Court marked the first victory in program history over the Hawks.
After game two, senior Shannon Colson (Rochester, N.H.) is now three runs away from her 100th career run. Freshman Lauren Moran (Leicester, Mass.) scored her first collegiate run of her career at Saint Anselm against the Lions.
No. 12 Saint Anselm 8, Kentucky Wesleyan 0 | Box Score
In the first inning, with two outs, Klaiber singled to left center, scoring senior Maggie Murphy (Scarborough, Maine) from third.
Klaiber kept momentum going in the third inning, hitting a line drive toward the left side before the shortstop misplayed the ball. Klaiber reached first while Murphy scored the Hawks first run. Later in the inning, senior Erin Thompson (Newton, N.H.) was caught stealing, allowing Klaiber to sneak home to extend the Hawks lead to 3-0.
Saint Anselm secured the victory thanks to five runs in the sixth inning to put the run limit into effect. The Hawks offense in the inning came from hits by Murphy and Thompson, a walk by sophomore Kylie Fitzpatrick (Danville, N.H.), and a double from Klaiber.
Perry earned the win for the Hawks, allowing one hit and zero runs over six innings, striking out nine. Bailey Woodall took the loss for Kentucky Wesleyan, surrendering five runs on seven hits over five-and-a-third innings, striking out three.
Georgian Court 3, No. 12 Saint Anselm 2 | Box Score
The Lions took control early with a RBI single from Paige Eckert in the bottom of the second inning. Saint Anselm responded in the next half inning, bringing home two runs off bases-loaded walks.
The Hawks held the lead until the bottom of the fifth when Lindsey Fischbach singled to right field, scoring Malia Black, who walked and advanced to third on a wild pitch and a passed ball.
In the sixth inning, Samantha Salmon started the inning with a lead-off single before advancing to second off a hit by pitch. With one out, Eckert and Salomon attempted a double steal, but the throw from the Hawks catcher sailed into the outfield which allowed Salomon to score.
In the circle, sophomore McKenna Smith (Old Town, Maine) recorded 10 strikeouts in her second career complete game, giving up five hits and yielding three walks. Smith is now 3-1 on the year. The Lions' Mikayla Gilgert held the Hawks to only three hits in the game, striking out four in the process.
The Hawks return to action on Friday, Mar. 6 as the squad takes on Truman at 10 a.m. and then Bridgeport at 12:15 p.m. in Auburndale, Fla.
