Softball Drops Two in Day Three of Action in Myrtle Beach

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.—The Anna Maria College softball team suffered a pair of hard losses to Grove City and Neumann in day three of action at the Fastpitch Dreams Tournament held in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Grove City 2, Anna Maria 0

A two-run homerun by Grove City's Kelsey Shirley in the top of the first inning would prove to be the only scoring on either side, as the entire game saw a total of six hits.

After the two-run shot, Anna Maria pitcher Angela Vousboukis (Swampscott, Mass.) settled down, allowing Grove City just three hits over the remaining six innings.

Grove City pitcher Erika Aughton allowed the AMCATS just two baserunners, as she gave up two hits with no walks and two strikeouts.

Shirley recorded a game-high two hits, while Allison Rayburn added a single and Erica Gmuer hit a double for Grove City.

Freshman Jacqueline Lapierre (Worcester, Mass.) and sophomore Kaitlyn Moran (Leicester, Mass.) both hit singles for Anna Maria.

Neumann 10, Anna Maria 6

The AMCATS held a 5-4 lead after three full innings, but Neumann outscored Anna Maria 6-1 in the final four innings to post the 10-6 comeback win.

Neumann opened scoring in the top of the first, as they used four hits to post three runs. Anna Maria responded in the bottom of the inning, as they took advantage of two Neumann errors to score two runs while stranding two runners.

After a scoreless second inning, Neumann took a brief 4-2 lead in the top of the third before making three errors in the bottom of the inning. Combined with a double by Lapierre, the AMCATS totaled three runs to claim the 5-4 lead.

Neumann responded with five hits in the top of the fourth, including a triple and a double, to score four runs. Anna Maria added another run in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by Samantha Miller (Dudley, Mass.), but Neumann added additional runs in the top of the fifth and the top of the seventh.

Neumann starting pitcher Kristin Beaty sacrificed three hits, one earned run and four walks in five innings of action before giving way to Haley Broomell, who totaled three strikeouts and faced the minimum in two innings of work.

Senior Nichole Lowe (Saugus, Mass.) went the distance and took the loss in the circle for Anna Maria, sacrificing 13 hits, eight earned runs and two walks with one strikeout.

Neumann's Marisa Giordano posted a game-high four hits in five at-bats in the win.

The AMCATS have an off-day tomorrow but will play their last two games in South Carolina on Thursday. Anna Maria will take on Wilkes at 11:30 a.m. and will rematch with Gwynedd Mercy at 1:30 p.m.