The University of Mary Washington softball team topped Penn St.-Abington, 7-1, and then defeated Chatham University, 12-3, in Myrtle Beach on Friday morning. The Eagles improve to 6-3 on the season.
In the first game against Penn St.-Abington the Eagles gained an early lead. Maggie Mrowka got the Eagles bats going as she doubled to center field. Daylah Sawyer followed that up with a single and Mrowka beat the throw home to put UMW ahead 1-0. The Eagles kept it going in the second inning as the pitcher, Jena Calvitti, doubled to left field. Morgan Mumford then came up to bat next and singled up the middle to score Calvitti and go up 2-0.
The Nittany Lions got a run back in the third inning as they scored on a couple of errors and got within one run, 2-1. UMW extended their lead in the fifth inning to 3-1 as Hannah Bruns led off with a single. Mrowka then walked, and they both advanced on a past ball. Rachel Remer then came up to the plate and grounded into a fielder's choice that brought home Bruns.
UMW added some insurance runs in the seventh inning to put the game away. Bruns led off with a single, Remer singled, and then Bruns scored on an error by the catcher to go up 4-1. Sawyer continued her hot day and collected her fourth hit to bring home Remer.
The Eagles kept the inning going as Rachel Porchie and Logan Gibson both singled to load the bases. Calvitti then helped herself out by singling home Sawyer and then Mumford grounded out to second but Porchie scored on the play to put the Eagles up 7-1 going into the bottom of the seventh. Calvitti shut down the Nittany Lions as she had all game and didn't allow a hit to help UMW secure a 7-1 victory.
Calvitti pitched a complete game, giving up just five hits, and one unearned run. Sawyer went 4-4 from the plate and collected two RBI's. Calvitti, Bruns, and Mumford all had two hits a piece.
Against Chatham, UMW took an early 1-0 lead again as they scored a run in the first inning. Bruns led off the game with a single and then advanced to second on a groundout. Bruns then came around to score after Remer put the ball in play and the Cougars committed an error.
Chatham then plated three runs, on three hits, in the bottom of the first inning to take a 3-1 advantage. After no runs were scored in the second inning, the Eagles brought home three runs in the third to take a 4-3 lead. Caroline Bird reached on an error, then Logan Gibson singled. Madi Marsden walked to load the bases, and Mumford added another RBI to her name after a single. With the bases still loaded, Courtney Shea got hit by a pitch to bring home Marsden, and then Bruns capped the inning as she singled to bring home Mumford.
UMW added to their lead in the fourth inning as Jamie Purtell hit a bases clearing double to bring home three runs, and then Shea singled home Purtell to put the Eagles ahead 8-3.
The Eagles put the game away in the sixth inning as they loaded the bases with no outs, and Shea doubled to bring home Mumford and Marsden. Mrowka picked up an RBI as she put the ball in play and the Cougars committed an error to score Purtell. Becca Alley capped the scoring for UMW on the day as she hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Shea and help the Eagles go up 12-3.
Purtell came in relief to pitch 5.2 innings, gave up zero runs, and struck out five batters. Mumford led the team with three hits, and Shea had four RBI's. Purtell finished with two hits and three RBI's.
UMW concludes their trip to Myrtle Beach, and will be back in action on Tuesday as they host Messiah at 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.