George Washington University
10-10
NIAGARA
7-7
Softball's Cone Powers GW Past Niagara on Saturday
3/18/2017 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score | Tournament Central
WASHINGTON - Freshman Jenna Cone belted two home runs on Saturday to tie the program's single-season record as the George Washington softball team split a pair of games on the second day of the Capital Invite at the GW Softball Field on the Mount Vernon Campus.
The Colonials (10-11) used 12 hits to power past Niagara in game one, 11-6, before Penn State ended GW's six-game home win streak in the nightcap, 4-2.
Niagara scored first to start the day, plating one to open the game. The Buff and Blue quickly answered, taking the lead in the bottom of the inning with a two-run home run to left center from Cone after junior Alana Anderson doubled.
The Purple Eagles evened the score in the next frame, when three walks and a single led to one run.
GW again responded to snap the tie in the bottom of the second. Freshman Elena Shelepak doubled to lead off the inning and junior Morgan Rinehart reached on an error then stole second to put a pair of runners in scoring position. A sacrifice fly from junior Rochelle Draper put the Colonials ahead, 3-2.
A home run, triple and sac fly for Niagara in the third put the Purple Eagles up, 4-3, but GW came back to take the lead for good in the bottom of the inning.
Rookie Gabby Gallone notched the first hit of her career on a bunt single and came around to score when Cone sent her second round-tripper of the game beyond the center field fence to put GW ahead, 5-4. The dinger marked her 11th of the season, matching Victoria Valos ('15) for the program's single-season record.
The Colonials added insurance in the fifth as Cone walked to start the inning and scored on a double by rookie Priscilla Martinez. A wild pitch and an error allowed Martinez to score and give GW a 7-4 lead.
The Buff and Blue put the game out of reach in the sixth as hits by freshman Jessica Linquist, senior Megan Linn and Gallone, along with an error, helped GW score four more and move ahead, 11-4.
Niagara attempted to rally in the seventh but mustered only two runs to put the final tally at 11-6.
Cone (2-for-3, 5 RBI, 3 R), Gallone (2-for-3, 2 R, RBI) and Linquist (2-for-3, R) each posted multi-hit games.
GW faced an early deficit in game two as Penn State tallied a single run in the first, second and fourth innings to move ahead 3-0. The Colonials broke though in the bottom of the fourth when Cone walked and Martinez went the distance with her third homer of the season to put GW within one at 3-2.
Two hits in the seventh put the Nittany Lions up 4-2, and the Colonials were unable to rally as Penn State came away with the win.
Martinez finished the game with a 2-for-2 effort to lead GW.
The Colonials wrap the Capital Invite on Sunday with another chance at Penn State at 1:15 p.m. at the GW Softball Field.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Pilcher, Ashley (1-1)
L: Johnston, Emily (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Moody, Taylor 1
3B: Hogan, Bridget 1
HR: Orfano, Jerri Ann 1
RBI: Ward, Chanelle 1 ; Orfano, Jerri Ann 2 ; Timm, Jennifer 1 ; Hogan, Bridget 1 ; Gabriele, Maria 1
SH: Ward, Chanelle 1 ; Funk, Rachel 1
SF: Gabriele, Maria 1
Base Running:
RUNS: March, Sarah 1 ; Stayner, Bailey 1 ; Moody, Taylor 1 ; Orfano, Jerri Ann 1 ; Hogan, Bridget 1 ; Watkins, Kendall 1
SB: Watkins, Kendall 2
Batting:
2B: Anderson, Alana 1 ; Martinez, Priscilla 1 ; Shelepak, Elena 1 ; Rinehart, Morgan 1 ; Linquist, Jessica 1
HR: Cone, Jenna 2
RBI: Linn, Megan 1 ; Gallone, Gabby 1 ; Cone, Jenna 5 ; Martinez, Priscilla 1 ; Draper, Rochelle 1
SH: Rinehart, Morgan 1
SF: Draper, Rochelle 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Linn, Megan 1 ; Anderson, Alana 1 ; Gallone, Gabby 2 ; Cone, Jenna 3 ; Martinez, Priscilla 1 ; Shelepak, Elena 1 ; Draper, Rochelle 1 ; Linquist, Jessica 1
SB: Anderson, Alana 1 ; Kovalsky, Paige 2 ; Rinehart, Morgan 1
