ALBION – A seventh inning rally ended in heartbreak as the Albion College softball team was swept by Calvin University, 4-0 and 7-6 on Thursday. After the Brits were shutout in the opener, Albion put together a four-run seventh in game two before falling via a walk off home run.
Freshman
Megan Maiuri led the way with four hits on the afternoon. Although suffering the loss in game one,
Ashley Pion struck out 11 hitters in the opener.
GAME ONE: Calvin 4 Albion 0
The Knights scored a pair of unearned runs on a home run in the third inning off Pion. Calvin tacked on a much-needed insurance run in the fifth, extending the lead to 3-0.
Calvin drove a solo shot in the sixth to boost their lead to 4-0.
Albion's bats were stymied in the first game, mustering just three hits – two coming in the first inning.
Pion (6-9) took the loss in the circle. The junior struck out 11, allowing just two earned runs while walking one.
GAME TWO: Calvin 7 Albion 6
Batting as the home team, Calvin scored three unearned in the bottom of the first. Albion answered in the top of the second with their first run of the afternoon.
Chloe Miller reached on an infield single and moved to second on a groundout. With two away,
Shanyn Jewell poked a single to center, allowing Miller to score on a great slide to avoid the tag.
Calvin answered in the third before the Britons plated a second run in the fifth. Sophomore
Lizzie Bissett led off the frame with a single up the middle and advanced 60 feet on a sac bunt. Maiuri drove home Bissett on an obscure double – one that ricocheted off the glove of the third baseman, back towards the 5-6 hole into left field.
The Knights responded with two in the home half of the fifth, setting up a comeback inning for the Brits.
Bissett sent the first pitch of the seventh inning up the middle. With the lineup back to the top of the order,
Jacqueline Jozefczyk worked a walk before Mairui singled to center. With the bases loaded, senior
Kacy Rossi delivered a double to the gap in left center, driving in Bissett and Jozefczyk.
Lilly Patillo tied the game with a gap shot to right center, allowing Rossi and Maiuri to cross to tie the game at six. Albion had opportunities to take the lead, but left the bases loaded in the seventh.
Calvin sent the first pitch of the bottom of the seventh over the wall in left, giving the Knights the walk off victory.
Albion will regroup and look to bounce back on Saturday at Olivet. Game times are currently scheduled for 1 and 3 p.m.
