MELANIE FOWLER PITCHES SHUT-OUT AS HAWKS SWEEP HARFORD

Saturday, April 19 -  Melanie Fowler threw a shut-out in the second game of the doubleheader as the 13th ranked Hawks won 9-0 to complete a sweep of Harford.  CSM won the first game 10-1. 

    Fowler was on top of her game today as she scattered five hits and stranded five base runners in improving her record to 9-3 on the year.

    "I felt good today" said Fowler.  "The umpire had a big strike zone, and I kept working the corners, and then I'd throw my change-up to keep the hitters off balance." 

    CSM (21-6, 10-0) got all the runs they'd need in the top of the first.  Amanda Boswell started the rally with a single, then stole second base and scored on Heather Turner's single.  Turner moved to second on a fielder's choice, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored on an error by the third baseman, to give CSM an early 2-0 lead.

    The Hawks added to their lead with five more in the third, to go up 7-0.  Megan Oursler led off with a single, and advanced to second on a wild pitch.  Amanda Boswell then laid down a perfect bunt single, putting runners on the corners with no outs.  Boswell stole second, and Heather Turner walked to load the bases.

    Melanie Fowler helped her own cause with a two run single, with Turner stopping at second.  Another run scored when the center fielder couldn't handle Ashley Becraft's fly ball, and Lindsay Boswell drove in the final two runs with a single. 

    The Hawks final two runs came in the fourth.  With one out in the inning, back to back singles by Amanda Boswell and Heather Turner put runners on first and second.  Both runners advanced on a wild pitch.  Boswell scored on a fielder's choice, and Karlee Adam's RBI single plated Turner.

    In the first game, CSM got all the runs they'd need in the first inning, jumping to a 6-0 lead.  With one out, back to back singles by Amanda Boswell and Heather Turner put runners on the corners.  Melanie Fowler drove in one run with a single, and Karlee Adams's reached on a fielder's choice, scoring another.  Erica Bates and Ashley Becraft walked, loading the bases with still just one out.  Lindsay Boswell drove in the third run of the inning with a single, and Erica Bates scored the fourth run on an error by the pitcher.  Megan Oursler's single drove in the final two runs for the Hawks.

    CSM added three more runs in the second.  Karlee Adams drove in another run with a fielder's choice, and two more runs scored on an error by the Owl third baseman. 

    The final Hawk run came in the 4th.  Jessica Cecil's single scored Ashley Becraft, who had singled earlier. 

    Harford (5-9, 0-6) managed to push across a run in their half of the fourth to avoid the shut-out.

    Heather Turner pitched another strong game, to improve to 11-1 on the year, with 2 saves.

    Jessica Petty took both losses for Harford, falling to 5-5 on the year.  She was victimized by poor fielding, as the Owls committed seven errors behind her in the doubleheader. 

    Amanda Boswell led the Hawk hitting attack, starting three rally's and going 5 for 7 in the doubleheader.

    "I felt comfortable at the plate, and was seeing the ball well" said Boswell.

    Several other Hawks had multiple hit days.  Heather Turner and Lindsay Boswell both were  4 for 6, Megan Oursler was 4 for 8, and Erica Bates and Melanie Fowler also had multiple hits on the afternoon.

    CSM will face Hagerstown on Monday in a key MDJUCO doubleheader.  First pitch is at 3:00 on the CSM softball field.