George Washington University
8-8
AKRON
11-10
GW Softball Splits Weekend Finale
3/12/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
WASHINGTON - The George Washington softball squad split a pair of games to wrap the weekend of play on day two of the Capital Invite at the GW Softball Field on the Mount Vernon Campus.
The Colonials (9-8) defeated Gardner-Webb, 6-5, in the nightcap after being edged by Akron, 1-0, to start the day.
George Washington struck first against Gardner-Webb (10-10) after freshman Ashley Schnarrs led off the first inning with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Rochelle Draper. Junior Megan Linn then doubled to right center to drive in Schnarrs and give the Colonials a 1-0 lead.
The Runnin' Bulldogs answered with a solo home run to lead off the top of the second, but junior starter Paige Kovalsky promptly retired the side to prevent further damage.
At the plate, Kovalsky reached on an error to begin the Colonials' half of the second and advanced on a sacrifice bunt before stealing third. A throw home on a fielder's choice off the bat of sophomore Morgan Rinehart was not in time to catch Kovalsky as the Buff and Blue regained the edge, 2-1.
Three Gardner-Webb singles and a sacrifice fly tied the game once again in the third, and the Runnin' Bulldogs took the lead with another solo home run in the fourth.
In the bottom of the fourth, junior Monica Macchiarulo doubled and scored on a single by Kovalsky to tie the game at 3-3. The Colonials took the lead in the fifth after Schnarrs singled and was given second on an illegal pitch. A wild pitch put the go-ahead run just 60 feet away for Linn, whose fielder's choice gave Schnarrs an opportunity to score with the help of a skilled slide around the reaching catcher.
The Buff and Blue added insurance in the sixth, as an RBI double for Kovalsky increased the lead to 5-3. A pinch hit triple to right center by senior Morgan Matetic then plated the Colonials' sixth and final run of the contest.
A late rally by Gardner-Webb in the top of the seventh fell just short, as the Runnin' Bulldogs scored two runs on two hits with the help of an error to put the final score at 6-5 in favor of George Washington.
Kovalsky (4-3) earned the complete game victory, issuing just one walk in seven innings of work.
In game one, sophomore starter Sarah Costlow (5-3, 2.30 ERA) allowed just one run with four strikeouts and zero walks in her complete game effort against Akron (11-10)
A pitchers' duel left the game scoreless after three innings of play, until a leadoff double and a sacrifice bunt put a runner on third with one out for Akron in the fourth. A sacrifice fly to left field gave the Zips a 1-0 lead that would prove enough for the victory.
The Colonials threatened in the bottom of the seventh as sophomore Morgan Rinehart singled up the middle and Linn was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second with one out. Senior Carlee Gray later worked a two-out walk to load the bases, but GW was unable to get a run across as the Zips' 1-0 edge prevailed.
Gray (3-for-6), Linn (2-for-5, 2 RBI), Rinehart (2-for-6, 2 RBI) and Kovalsky (2-for-7, 1 RBI, 1 Run) each posted multiple hit days. Linn extended her reached-base streak to 20 consecutive games - the second longest in program history, only behind her own GW record of 30 consecutive games set from March 11-May 3, 2014. Linn has also hit safely in the last seven straight games - two shy of her career-high mark.
The Colonials take nearly a week break from competition before returning to action on Friday, March 18, for the first of five games at the Blue & Gold Challenge in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kelly Hysong (2-0)
L: Costlow, Sarah (5-3)
S: Erin Seiler (1)
Batting:
2B: Carley Childress 1
RBI: Gabrielle Fredricks 1
SH: Taylor Kirian 1
SF: Gabrielle Fredricks 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Carley Childress 1
SB: Savannah Fruin 1 ; Schlosser 1
Batting:
2B: Linn, Megan 1
SH: Draper, Rochelle 2
Base Running:
SB: Macchiarulo, Monica 1
CS: Linn, Megan 1
HBP: Linn, Megan 1
