Softball Splits on Final Day of Space Coast Games

(Melbourne, FL)-- Cleary's pitchers continued to throw the ball well, but the team would win one game and drop a game on the final day of CU's trip to Florida Friday.

In Game 1 vs. Grace:  After a 1-2-3 inning for Halle Dargie, Mia Rzepka drew a one-out walk.  Two batters later, Jenna Wagenschutz singled to left center, scoring Rzepka, and giving the Cougars a 1-0 lead.  The lead would grow to 2-0 in the second, when Mckenzie Latshaw drew a two-out walk, and scored on a Gabrielle Monreal double.  Cleary was cruising, and got the insurance runs they needed in the bottom of the sixth to open the game up.  Grace MacCaughan hit a one-out double, and advanced to third on a passed ball.  After Mckenzie Latshaw drew a walk and stole second to put both runners in scoring position, Gabrielle Monreal laid a beautiful suicide squeeze bun that scored MacCaughan.  The next batter, Mia Rzepka, was hit by a pitch, and stole second to keep the pressure on the Lancers.  Kate Currie would single to center, scoring Latshaw and Rzepka, and gave the Cougars a 5-0 lead.

Halle Dargie would get the 1-2-3 inning in the seventh, and Cleary won 5-0.  Dargie earned her first win of the season, allowing 0 runs on 5 hits while striking out 3 batters in a complete game.  Jenna Wagenschutz went 2/3 with 1 RBI, while Kate Currie went 1/4 with 2 RBI.  Mia Rzepka and Mckenzie Latshaw each scored two runs.  

In Game 2 vs. Bethel:  Sonya Terleckyj struck out five of the first six batters she faced, and finished the game with eight strike outs, but Cleary's offense stalled against the Bethel Pilots.  Cleary would get the bases loaded in the top of the second with one out, but were unable to get the hit needed to take the early lead, and the game remained scoreless.  The Cougars would get another chance to score in the fourth, when Grace Pasterik advanced to third base, but the Pilots defense got out of the jam.  Bethel took advantage, and scored the game's first run on a sacrifice fly in the bottom half of the inning, and added a pair of singles in the bottom of the sixth to take a 3-0 lead.  Alli Reynolds would lead off the seventh with a single, but the Cougars could not advance the runner, and dropped their final game of the Florida trip 3-0.

Sonya Terleckyj suffered the loss pitching, as she allowed 3 runs on 6 hits while striking out 8 in a complete game.  

Grace Pasterik went 2/3 to lead the Cougar offense, while CU would get hits from Kate Currie, Jenna Wagenschutz, Arianna Harden, Maddie Bunkoske, and Alli Reynolds in the ballgame.

Cleary finishes the Florida trip 2-8, and now sits 3-11 overall.  The Cougars will return to Michigan, and play their next games against the NCAA D2 Davenport Panthers on Wednesday, March 20 in Grand Rapids.