LADY HAWKS SWEEP ANNE ARUNDEL IN MATCH UP OF TOP TEAMS

Wednesday, April 24 -  In a key MDJUCO match up between two of the top teams in the country, the CSM softball team swept Anne Arundel in two thrilling games, 4-2 and 3-2.  The Lady Hawks are currently ranked # 4 in Division II softball, and the Pioneers are ranked # 2 in Division III softball.

   Erin Waltersdorff pitched both games for CSM, earning her 25th and 26th wins of the season, against 5 losses.  In the first game she gave up 2 runs, on 4 hits, struck out 3, and walked only 1 batter.  In the second game Waltersdorff gave up 2 runs (1 earned), on 5 hits, struck out 4, and again walked only 1 hitter.

   Waltersdorff pitched out of a tough jam in the bottom of the 7th inning in the second game, to give the Hawks the sweep.  With a 3-0 lead going into the bottom of the 7th, CSM seemed to have the game in control.  However a single, wild pitch, fielder's choice and infield error allowed the Pioneers to score one run, and a double by Dawn Vacek cut the lead to 3-2 and put the tying run on second base with just one out.  Erin Waltersdorff proved to be tough in the clutch, striking out the next Anne Arundel batter for the second out of the inning, and inducing the next batter to hit a soft ground ball to Amanda Boswell at third, who threw to Allison Middleton at first to preserve the win.

   The only other time Waltersdorff ran into trouble was in the 5th, when the Pioneers put two runners on with two outs, before Waltersdorff got the next batter to ground out to short.  Anne Arundel still might have scored in the inning if Amanda Kidwell hadn't made a  spectacular catch in left field on the leadoff hitter.

   CSM scored their first run in the 1st inning.  Amanda Boswell doubled, and scored on Stacey Bean's two out single.

   The Hawks got their second run in the 6th inning.  Andrea Brady led off with a single, and was replaced by pinch running specialist Nyeema Smalls.  Smalls scored easily on Stacy Bean's double. 

   CSM scored the what proved to be the winning run in the top of the 7th.  Megan Oursler reached base when the Pioneer centerfielder dropped the ball after losing it in the sun.  She stole second, advanced to third on Amanda Boswell's single, and scored on Andrea Brady's RBI single.  Stacy Bean then walked to load the bases, but the Hawks were unable to push across any more runs. 

   In the first game, CSM jumped to the early lead, scoring two in the 3rd inning to take a 2-0 lead.  With one out, Andrea Brady doubled, and scored on Stacy Bean's single.  Bean moved to second on the throw home and scored on Allison Middleton's RBI single.

   Anne Arundel tied th game at 2-2 in the 4th.  Kristen Bishoff singled and came around to score on Tine Ryals double.  Jen Bounelis singled to put runners on the corners with one out.  Bounelis was out in an attempt to steal second, but Ryals came home with the tying run on the double steal.

   The Hawks scored two more in the 5th to take a 4-2 lead.  Megan Oursler reached base on an error and Amanda Boswell was safe on a bunt single.  Andrea Brady moved the runners to second and third on a ground out to short.  Stacy Bean hit a sacrifice fly , scoring Oursler, and Boswell scored on Jennifer Brown's RBI single. 

   The lead held up the rest of the game, as the Hawks earned a 4-2 victory.

   Anne Arundel drops to 18-8 and 9-4 in the conference.  CSM improves to 27-6 and 15-2.  The Hawks have now won 21 of their last 23 games.

   CSM will conclude the regular season with home games this weekend.  The Hawks will face Chesapeake on Saturday, April 27, and Navy on Sunday, April 28.  Both doubleheaders will begin at noon.