Elizabethtown College’s softball team kicked off its season with a conference doubleheader against Hood College. The team then traveled to Florida for spring break where they faced many opponents.
The Blue Jays traveled to Hood and fell to the Blazers 4-1 in the first game and 8-6 in the second. In game two, Etown was trailing 4-3 after the sixth, but an RBI from sophomore Jessica White brought in the tying run from first-year Shannon Deck.
After a scoreless eighth inning, Etown took the lead. Once again, White had the strong bat and sent in two Blue Jay runners. However, Hood responded well and a two-run homerun from the Blazers’ Alexa Sivic ended the Jays’ hope at a comeback.
Following that loss, Etown headed for the warmth of Clermont, Fla. At the National Training Center, the Blue Jays faced nine different schools over the week. On March 3, Thiel College was Etown’s first opponent on, and a seven-run inning gave the Blue Jays a commanding 11-3 victory. After a close first half of the game, Etown put up seven points in the fifth inning. Senior Courtney Comstock’s three RBI triple, senior Whitney Breneman’s sacrifice fly and senior Elly McCarthy’s three-RBI homerun sealed the deal for the Blue Jays.
The team fell to Muhlenberg College later that afternoon in a close 5-4 game. However, Etown’s bats got hot again March 4 against Anna Maria College in a 12-3 win. Once again, the Blue Jays had a seven-run inning that put the game out of reach for their opponents. Hits by sophomore Payton Marunich, Comstock, Breneman and McCarthy were key in the victory. The Blue Jays also had zero errors in the game while Anna Maria had six.
Etown picked up another victory that afternoon against Marywood University 4-2. On March 6, the Blue Jays pulled out a close win over Finlandia University 8-7. A fielding error by the Lions in the bottom of the seventh sent in sophomore Kaylee Werner’s tying run. At 6-6, the Jays headed into extra innings. Finlandia scored at the top of the eighth, but Etown once again evened the score. Senior Lindsey Cooper’s grounder sent Comstock in for the tie. Etown’s pitcher, first-year Keli Krause kept the Lions contained at the top of the ninth, and then an RBI from Marunich sent Deck to homeplate.
For the rest of break, the Blue Jays alternated wins and losses. On March 6, John Carroll University handed Etown an 8-2 defeat, but the Jays responded well the next day with a 3-0 victory over Adrian College. Etown suffered a tough 11-0 loss to Coe College. Friday, March 8 the team had a doubleheader against Misericordia University. Game one went into extra innings, but the Jays pulled out the 6-5 win. However, the Cougars responded with a close 5-4 win in game two, splitting the series.
Etown has yet to return to action after the break; the weather has forced two doubleheaders to be postponed. However, the Jays will hopefully return to action this Saturday with a home doubleheader against Stevenson University.