Battling Bishop softball splits league twinbill with Hornets

Rocky Mount, NC - Sophomore Carla Pridgen (pictured) went 2-for-3 in game one and drove in two runs in game two to help lead her Bishop softball team to a USA South split with Shenandoah on Saturday at Edge Field. The Hornets, who began their defense of SU's 2008 Regular Season Championship, got 12 strikeouts from Katie Haskins in the opener en route to a 7-1 victory. NCWC (6-8, 1-3 USAC) bounced back with a 6-5 win in the nightcap to secure the Bishops' first league victory of the season.

Shenandoah (10-6, 1-1 USAC) used a five-run sixth inning to open up a pitcher's dual in game one. Prior to that, Haskins and Wesleyan starter Ashley Driver had battled through four scoreless innings before SU was able to plate a single run in the fifth behind a two-out RBI-single to center by Cat Beuerle.

The five-spot in the sixth, however, gave the Hornets a 6-0 lead and chased Driver from the circle. The big blow came off the bat of Jesse Heins, who belted a three-run double to right-center.  Wesleyan's lone run came in the bottom of the frame on a Whitney Moshier RBI-triple to left.

Driver (3-4) took the loss, going 5.2 innings and allowing six runs on nine hits. Kacie Brandes worked the final 1.1 innings for the Bishops, giving up one run on one hit.

Haskins (5-2) picked up the win for SU after scattering five hits and striking out 12 over 7.0 innings of work. She also led the Shenandoah offensive effort with a 4-for-5 performance at the plate.

In game two, Pridgen got the Bishops on the board first with a two-run single to center in the bottom of the third. She later scored on a wild pitch and throwing error to help NCWC forge a 3-0 advantage. Both teams plated single runs in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings for a 6-3 score entering the seventh.

The Hornets made things interesting in their final at-bat, scratching two runs and placing the tying runner at second. Fortunately, Driver was able to force a pop-up to shortstop to end the game.

Brooke Davis (3-4) earned the win on the mound, tossing five innings and giving up just two runs on six hits. Driver pitched the final two innings to record her second save of the season, while SU's Becky Schumacher (1-1) took the loss after giving up three runs on four hits over 2.1 innings of work.

Dani Abbey, Jessica Poindexter, and Moshier each had two hits for the Bishops in the nightcap. SU's Heins led all batters with a 3-for-4 offensive showing, including a homer to left field in the fourth.

Wesleyan continues USA South play on Wednesday when the Bishops travel to Peace College for a 2:00 p.m. doubleheader with the Pacers.

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