LADY HAWKS SPLIT DOUBLEHEADER WITH DELAWARE TECH

Wednesday, April 16 -  In a battle between two of the top teams in the area, the CSM softball team won the first game of the doubleheader 3-0 behind another strong pitching performance by Heather Turner.  Delaware Tech (Stanton) came back to win the nightcap 7-4.

    "Heather was dominate today", said Head Coach Tommy Morrison of Turner's performance. 

    Turner scattered four hits, while striking out six and walking two as she won her tenth game against only one loss.  She also has two saves on the year. 

    "I was using a lot of fastballs on the corners, and then switched up with change-ups or my off speed pitch"  Turner described her performance.

    Turner only got in one jam, when the Spirit loaded the bases with two outs. 

    "I knew I had to bear down, to do my job and go for the strike-out" said Turner.

    And Turner did indeed strike out the next Delaware Tech hitter to end the threat.

    The Hawks got the only  run they needed in the 1st, when Megan Oursler walked, moved to third on an error, and scored on Melanie Fowler's infield ground out.

    CSM (19-6, 8-0) got two more insurance runs in the 5th.  Jessica Cecil and Megan Oursler led off the inning with singles, and Amanda Boswell continued the hit parade with another single to drive home both runners. 

    Stacie Smith (7-4) went the distance for the Spirit and took the loss.

    In the second game, CSM jumped on top early, with two runs in the bottom of the first to take a 2-0 lead.  Megan Oursler walked, and Amanda Boswell singled putting runners on first and second with no outs.  Heather Turner was out when the Infield Fly Rule was called on her pop to first, but both Oursler and Boswell advanced to second and third when the Delaware Tech first baseman missed the ball and it rolled to the fence.  Melanie Fowler drove in one run with an RBI single, and Karlee Adams beat out an bunt single to score the second run.

    Delaware Tech (19-8) answered with five runs of their own in the top of the second.  Five Spirit hits combined with a Hawk throwing error did the damage.  Pitcher Emily Evans helped her cause with a double driving in two of the Spirit runs.

    The Hawks responded with two more runs in the bottom of the second, cutting the Delaware Tech lead to 5-4.  With one out, Jessica Cecil walked, and Megan Oursler doubled, putting runners on second and third.  With two out, Heather Turner plated both Cecil and Oursler with a single to right. 

    The Hawks stayed close most of the game, helped by some outstanding fielding, and Melanie Fowler's devastating change up kept the Spirit hitters off balance.  With two Del Tech runners on in the top of the third, Amanda Boswell made the defensive play of the game, as the raced to her right and stretched out to snag a ball that seemed destined to go into right field, to end the Spirit rally. 

    Del Tech added two insurance runs in the 6th, for the final 7-4 margin.  CSM put two runners on in the bottom of the 7th and had the tying run at the plate, but couldn't break through. 

    Emily Evans went the distance for Delaware Tech to improve to 8-4 on the year, Melanie Fowler dropped to 8-3 for the Hawks.

    The CSM home stand continues with four crucial conference games.  The Hawks face Harford on Saturday in a 12:00 noon doubleheader, and Hagerstown on Monday, in a 3:00 PM doubleheader.