LANGHORNE, Pa. – The Cairn University softball team split their non-conference doubleheader with Lancaster Bible College at home on Tuesday evening, dropping game one by a score of 6-4, before posting a 2-1 victory in the nightcap.
In game one, Cairn (12-16, 6-6 CSAC) took an early 2-0 lead in the first inning after RBI-knocks by senior
Theresa Beck (Lansdale, PA / Dock Mennonite Academy) and sophomore
Abbi Heacock (Media, PA / Delaware County Christian School). Lancaster Bible (9-25, 4-18 United East) tied the game off of a two-RBI single in the top of the third, before the Highlanders answered with two more in the bottom half to reclaim the lead (4-2). LBC cut the deficit to one (4-3) with a home run in the fifth inning, but Cairn carried its one-run advantage to the top of the seventh. LBC did the majority of its damage in that frame, scoring three runs to take a 6-4 lead, and sat the Highlanders down in the bottom half to seal the victory.
Four Highlanders tallied multi-hit efforts in game one, led by Heacock with two hits and two RBIs. Senior
Jenna Kenyon (Clarksville, MD / River Hill) and freshman
Myiah Petroro (Long Island, NY / Liberty Online) each notched two hits and scored a run, while junior
Adriana Shannon (Marlton, NJ / Cherokee) added two hits, including a double. Senior
Kacey Wees (Irwin, PA / Hempfield) went the distance in the circle, giving up eight hits, six runs (five earned) and striking out a pair.
In game two, Cairn and LBC engaged in a pitcher's duel early on, before LBC broke through with a solo homer to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning. Cairn responded in the bottom half, after hits by Kenyon and Wees put two runners on before freshman
Sydney Wright (Souderton, PA / Souderton) looped an RBI-single into center field to tie the game at one a-piece. The score remained deadlocked until the bottom of the sixth inning, when Wees walked and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. From that point, freshman
Abby McIntyre (Galloway, NJ / Pilgrim Academy) stepped to the plate with two outs and laced the go-ahead, RBI-double into the right center-field gap, scoring Wees and giving Cairn a 2-1 lead.
LBC got two runners on base in the top of the seventh, but the Cairn defense held on to secure the game two victory.
McIntyre and Wright each notched a hit and an RBI for Cairn, while Wees and Kenyon scored both runs. Beck picked up her first win in the circle, going seven strong, scattering six hits, one run and striking out five Chargers.
The Highlanders will be back on the field on Thursday, April 27 when they travel to Morristown to resume Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) play in a doubleheader against Saint Elizabeth University at 3 p.m.
