George Washington University
1-5
Norfolk State
0-1
GW Softball Sweeps Norfolk State on Saturday
2/27/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
NORFOLK, Va. - The George Washington softball team swept Norfolk State in doubleheader action on the road on Saturday afternoon.
The Colonials (2-5) took the first game, 9-1, in five innings before staging a come-from-behind victory, 8-6, in the nightcap to complete the sweep of Norfolk State (0-2). Sophomore pitcher Sarah Costlow grabbed both wins on the day.
In game one, a three-run first inning for GW began when sophomore Monica Macchiarulo registered a one-out single through the left side and advanced to second on a walk by senior Carlee Gray. A wild pitch put a pair of Colonials in scoring position for junior Paige Kovalsky, who doubled and plated two. Freshman Riley Tejcek later singled to score Kovalsky and put GW up, 3-0.
Kovalsky struck again in the second, doubling to left center with two outs and the bases loaded to put the Colonials up by five. The Buff and Blue added one more in the third, as sophomore Rochelle Draper doubled and later scored on a single by junior Megan Linn after the inning was extended by an error of the Spartans.
The Colonials tallied two more in the fourth as Gray led off the inning with a single, followed by a double by Kovalsky to put runners on second and third. Tejcek posted her first career double down the left field line with one out to grab a pair of RBIs and give the Colonials an 8-0 advantage.
In the top of the fifth, GW rallied with two outs to plate another insurance run. Macchiarulo walked and advanced to third after back-to-back singles by Gray and Kovalsky. Senior Morgan Matetic's walk then forced a run in for the Colonials to take a 9-0 lead.
Sophomore starter Sarah Costlow tossed four innings of shutout ball before yielding one unearned run in the bottom of the fifth to put the final score at 9-1 in five innings of play. Kovalsky tallied three doubles to tie a program record for two-baggers in a single contest set by Nikki Brooks in 2006.
The Colonials struck first again in game two as Draper walked and scored on a double by sophomore Aiyana Leal-Robles in the second inning.
GW scored again in the third with the help of some small ball as Linn laid down a bunt single to lead of the third frame and scored on a double by Macchiarulo to give GW a 2-0 lead.
Norfolk State answered back in the third with a lead-off double to bring in freshman pitcher Jayme Cone in relief of Costlow. A walk and a home run put the Spartans ahead, 3-1, with one out. Two walks, a hit and an error plated three more before the Colonials worked out of the inning, but the damage had been done as Norfolk State claimed a 6-2 lead after three.
GW chipped away at the deficit with three runs in the fifth. A fielder's choice and a pair of errors helped the Colonials notch their first run of the stanza. Back-to-back walks plated another and a sacrifice fly by Leal-Robles cut the Spartans' lead to 6-5 by the end of the fifth.
With two outs in the sixth, Gray singled and scored on another Kovalsky double to tie the game heading into the final stanza. In the top of the seventh, Draper reached base on a two-base error to begin the inning. Norfolk State then got two quick outs, but sophomore Morgan Rinehart doubled to plate the go-ahead run. Linn then singled to put the Colonials up by two.
Norfolk State could not rally in the seventh, as GW took a 8-6 win to complete the sweep.
Costlow (2-1, 1.33 ERA), who reentered the game to close the third inning, earned her second victory of the day, allowing just one run in 6.1 innings of work in game two.
Kovalsky led the Colonials at the plate on the day with a stellar, 6-for-8, performance with four doubles and five RBIs. Macchiarulo continued her hot start to the season with a 5-for-8 day, giving her a team-best .500 average (11-for-22) on the young spring.
The Colonials return to action next weekend as they co-host the three-day District Invite with Georgetown from March 4-6. GW will take on Columbia and Robert Morris to open home play on Friday afternoon.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Costlow, Sarah (1-1)
L: MARRERO,Marissa (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Kovalsky, Paige 3 ; Tejcek, Riley 1 ; Draper, Rochelle 1
RBI: Linn, Megan 1 ; Kovalsky, Paige 4 ; Matetic, Morgan 1 ; Tejcek, Riley 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Linn, Megan 1 ; Macchiarulo, Monica 2 ; Gray, Carlee 2 ; Kovalsky, Paige 2 ; Draper, Rochelle 1 ; Rinehart, Morgan 1
Batting:
2B: BITLER,Devon 1
RBI: BITLER,Devon 1
SH: DUNNING,Megan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: DESCHAMPS,Shelby 1
