The softball team (3-17 overall, 0-1 Patriot League) went 1-3 at the University of Maryland Softball Tournament. The Leopards lost games against Bryant University (12-6 overall), Purdue Fort Wayne University (5-17 overall) and the University of Maryland (13-14 overall) but picked up a victory against Fairfield University (3-15 overall).
The first game against Bryant on Friday started out well for the Leopards when freshman catcher/utility player Reagan Dillon hit a sacrifice fly that put Lafayette up 1-0 in the top of the first. However, the Maroon and White could not hold on to the lead, as the Bulldogs went up 3-1 in the third inning and scored again in the sixth inning, taking their lead to 4-1.
The Leopards did not back down, as a rally was in the works in the seventh inning. Another Dillon sac fly and a hit from sophomore first base/pitcher Megan Coyle pushed the Leopards within one run. With bases loaded and two outs, a line out ended the game 4-3 in favor of Bryant.
The next day, Lafayette faced the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons in the morning and Fairfield Stags in the afternoon.
The game against the Mastodons was another close one. Once again, the offense got going with a Coyle RBI single in the first. Purdue Fort Wayne then came storming back and just like the first game, Lafayette was down 3-1 by the fourth inning. An RBI single from sophomore outfield/utility player Grace Hausamann put the Leopards close behind at 3-2, but the Mastodons scored another and the game ended 4-2.
The Leopards notched their first win of the weekend on Saturday afternoon against Fairfield. The game was tied 1-1 until the seventh inning when Coyle broke through the tie with a bases-loaded triple that put the Leopards up 4-1 before another run off an error brought the score to 5-1. The Stags mustered two more runs in the bottom of the seventh, but the Leopards held on for the win.
This win broke a 14-game losing streak for the softball team as it prepares for Patriot League play.
The Leopards could not build on their momentum on Sunday against Big 10 Conference powerhouse Maryland. Some highlights of the game were a hit apiece from Coyle, Hausamann and junior outfielder Mary Grace O’Neill. Other than that, Maryland controlled the game as the Terrapins’ offense was too much for the Leopards to handle. The 8-0 deficit marked the 17th loss for the softball team this season.
The Leopards will play host to the Bucknell Bison (9-15 overall) in a four-game series this weekend to open up Patriot League play. The first pitch of game one is slated to start at 4:30 p.m. Friday.
Two members of the softball team did not respond to requests for comment.
