WASHINGTON - On an unseasonably hot Wednesday in the nation's capital, Gallaudet University played host to Marymount (Va.) University in a non-conference softball doubleheader at the GU Softball Complex. The visiting Saints (12-16), a first-year program, defeated the Bison (3-21) by the eight-run mercy rule by the scores of 17-7 in six innings and 10-0 in five.

Game 1: Marymount (Va.) 17, Gallaudet 7 (F/6)
The Saints wasted little time in the first game as they jumped out to an 8-0 lead as the Bison came to bat in the bottom of the third. Sophomore outfielder Kate Lorenzo (Omaha, Neb.) singled through the left side of the infield with two outs. Freshman Elaine Swecker (San Diego, Calif.) doubled down the right-field line as Lorenzo came around to score GU's first run.

GU trailed 9-1 in the fourth when GU's bats came alive with three hits and the Bison took advantage of a Saints error to plate four runs. Freshman Jade Dawson (Clearlake Oaks, Calif.) singled to left field to drive in fellow freshman Caitlyn Smith (Indianapolis, Ind.) from second base after she led things off with a single and moved up on a walk issued to sophomore Emma Giuntoli (Austin, Texas). Freshman Emily Nover (District Heights, Md.) followed with a single down the left-field line to bring home Giuntoli for GU's third run in the game. Lorenzo grounded a shot to the second baseman with two outs but a fielding error allowed Dawson and Nover to scamper home and cut the Marymount lead down to four, 9-5.

Marymount responded with two runs in the fifth and six in the sixth. GU pushed across two more runs in the fifth as a Saints error allowed two runners to score.

Freshman Kaci Ketchum (Austin, Texas) took the loss in the circle as she pitched 3.1 innings and freshman Anya Pothorski (Indianapolis, Ind.) threw 2.2 innings and struck out one. 

Morgan Hunt (7-7) threw a complete game for the Saints where she allowed seven runs (three earned) on 10 hits, walked five and struck out three. Marymount only had one extra-base hit in the game as outfielder Sara Emig led the Saints at the plate with a 3-for-4 performance with four RBI and two runs scored. 

Game 2: Marymount (Va.) 10, Gallaudet 0 (F/5)
It was a pitchers duel and defensive showdown in the second game under the lights as the Bison only surrendered two runs to Marymount in the first and fourth innings as the game remained 4-0 until the fifth. In the final frame of the game, Marymount scored six times on three hits as GU lost the strike zone and issued four walks and hit one batter. Marymount's Haily Leamer singled to center field to plate two runs and Samanatha Cinotti followed and ripped a shot to left-center field for a two-run triple to score the third and fourth runs of the six-run inning.

Gallaudet tallied two hits in the game to break up the no-hit bid. Lorenzo singled deep in the hole at shortstop for the infield hit in the bottom of third and Nover singled to center field in the fifth off Marymount starting pitcher Shanyn Burch (5-9), earned the complete game shutout with five strikeouts.

Pothorski (1-4) took the loss in the circle for the Bison as she threw three innings and struck out two in the night game.

BISON TRACKS

• This doubleheader was added to the GU schedule on March 22 after a non-conference doubleheader with Elizabethtown College couldn't be rescheduled
• Gallaudet has only been shut out five times this season

UP NEXT 
Gallaudet will hit the road this weekend for a pair of United East Conference doubleheaders. The Bison (3-11 United East) will first travel to Williamsport, Pa., on Friday, April 15, to face Penn College of Technology (15-6, 11-1 United East) at 3 p.m.