LANCASTER, Pa. - On a breezy Wednesday, the Gallaudet University softball team fell to Lancaster Bible College in a United East Conference doubleheader on the road. The Bison (3-27, 3-17 United East) lost the first game 11-9 and the second game 12-4 in six innings against the Chargers (10-20, 8-12 United East). 

Game 1: Lancaster Bible 11, Gallaudet 9
Gallaudet got the bats heated up as the Bison scored one or more runs in every inning but the fifth and seventh. 

GU got on the scoreboard quickly in the first with two runs to take an early lead. The two big hits came off the bats of freshman Caitlyn Smith (Indianapolis, Ind.), who doubled to right field, and freshman Elaine Swecker (San Diego, Calif.), who drove in two runs on a single through the right side of the infield.

Gallaudet increased its 2-0 lead to 6-0 with four runs in the second inning. Freshman Jade Dawson (Clearlake Oaks, Calif.) and Smith had RBI hits as they tallied a double and single, respectively, in back-to-back at-bats. Swecker came through with a second straight two-run single, this time with a shot up the middle, as Dawson and Smith scored.  

LBC finally got on the board with four runs in the bottom of the second inning and continued to score runs in every frame of the seven-inning game.

Smith led all Bison at the plate with a 4-for-5 performance with two RBI and two runs scored. Smith added a RBI single in the top of third as GU led 7-4. Swecker led GU with four RBI as six different Bison recorded two or more hits in the loss. Gallaudet finished the game with five doubles.

Swecker (1-6) took the loss in the circle as she pitched six innings and struck out three. 

Game 2: Lancaster Bible 12, Gallaudet 4 (F/6)
The Chargers held the Bison scoreless until the third inning when GU exploded for four runs. Freshman Danyeal Davis (Newport News, Va.) started things off with a walk and Dawson reaches base by an error to put two runners on with two out when Smith stepped to the plate. Smith smashed a three-run home run over the center field fence, her first home run hit on the road this season. GU wasn't done as Swecker singled to right-center field and stole second base. Sophomore Kate Lorenzo (Omaha, Neb.) drove in Swecker with a RBI single to left-center field as GU grabbed a 4-1 lead.

Lancaster Bible responded with five runs in the bottom of the third as the Chargers scored runs in every inning but the second. The Chargers outscored Gallaudet 11-0 after they trailed 4-1 in the six-inning game.

Freshman Kaci Ketchum (Austin, Texas) took the loss in the circle as she pitched five innings and struck out three. 

LBC pitcher Alyssa Hamilton (6-9) won both games for the Chargers. 

UP NEXT
Gallaudet will host Penn St.-Berks (18-7, 15-3 United East) this Friday, April 22, at 3 p.m, in a conference doubleheader.