Softball Slammed During South Alabama Invitational

Loyola women’s softball traveled down to the South Alabama Invitational Feb. 20-22. The Ramblers fell in four of five games with shutouts in two of them and now stand 6-9 overall.

University of Tennessee at Martin:

The Ramblers were quick to notch their first and only win at the start of the tournament, finishing 6-3 against The University of Tennessee at Martin Feb. 20.

Loyola took the lead in the top of the third after an actionless start from both teams. First-year infielder Anna Kiel scored the first run with a single to right and advanced to second on a sac bunt from third-year infielder Skyler Croker. After first-year outfielder Megan Piotrowski sent a single down the middle, Kiel made it home, and Croker followed by stealing home to add to the scoring.

The Skyhawks responded when third-year outfielder Carly Ward stepped up to the plate and sent a triple down the right field line. After a bunt from redshirt third-year outfielder Karena Recrosio, Ward scored the first run for UT Martin, but Loyola was quick to cancel it out. 

In the top of the fourth, second-year infielder Alli Pawlowicz walked and scored on third-year infielder Liz Sedakis’ double to the left, maintaining the 3-1 lead.

While both teams were held scoreless in the fifth, Loyola entered the top of the sixth and tallied three more runs. Graduate catcher and first baseman Adelina Staden made it on base with a walk and advanced after second-year infielder Kayci Rigby and second-year outfielder Averi Vander Woude both hit singles.

First-year outfielder Alexis Hansen stepped in as a pinch runner for Rigby. With bases loaded, Kiel sent a double down the left to bring all three runners home.

With UT Martin down 6-1 in the bottom of the sixth, they tried battling their way back with two more runs, but the Ramblers held their lead. UT Martin’s fourth-year utility player Dylan Scott added to the board with a double to center and advanced to third on a fly out from fourth-year infielder Kyrsten Brown. Scott scored after fourth-year catcher Avary Makarewicz sent a double down the center.

Makarewicz notched the final run for the Skyhawks when a wild pitch allowed her to advance, and second-year infielder Addie Roberts brought her home with a double to the right. The seventh inning was scoreless, and the Ramblers won 6-3.

University of North Alabama Game 1:

Game two of the doubleheader Feb. 20 was a wipeout for the Ramblers after the University of North Alabama took an early lead and swept with a 7-0 win.

The Lions opened the scoring in the top of the second, notching four runs to Loyola’s zero. North Alabama’s second-year infielder Holly Meritt and third-year utility player Emma Kate Wright both walked and scored off singles from first-year infielder Livy Huter and fourth-year catcher Natalie Shaw. After a triple to center from Lions fourth-year outfielder Gyvan Hammons, Huter and Shaw came home.

North Alabama’s fourth-year outfielder Katie Davis added another one to the board in the fourth after stepping in as a pinch runner for Shaw, who walked. Lions third-year infielder Briley Dover brought in Davis with a fly out to widen the lead to 5-0.

The Lions notched their final two runs in the fifth after fourth-year utility player Laura Leigh Wheeler hit a single, and Merritt stepped up to the plate to smash a homer to right field. Loyola remained in a scoring drought in the final two innings and went 1-1 on the opening day of the tournament.

University of North Alabama Game 2:

The Ramblers once again went head-to-head against the Lions Feb. 21 but were unable to make a comeback, falling 6-3.

With a stalemate in the first three innings, the Ramblers were first to get on board with third-year infielder Nat Lesnicki hitting a single up the middle and advancing on ground outs from Piotrowski and Rigby. Lesnicki scored on a double from Kiel.

The Lions responded in the bottom of the fifth when Dover singled to the right and third-year infielder Bayleigh Rouse stepped up to the plate to smash a homer to the left, bringing in two runs for North Alabama.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Ramblers struggled to keep the Lions at bay, allowing a four-run inning for North Alabama.

With Shaw and Hammons on base, Dover notched another homer for the Lions to score the first three of the inning. Wheeler hit a double into center field, and Meritt singled to the right, bringing Wheeler home to widen the lead over the Ramblers 6-1.

The game ended in the top of the seventh after Loyola struggled to score more than two runs. Vander Woude and second-year utility player Abby Johnson added the final two to the board, but the Lions took the game 6-3.

University of South Alabama:

Game two of the doubleheader was against the University of South Alabama, and the Jaguars slammed the Ramblers in five innings with an 8-0 score.

In the bottom of the first, first-year pitcher Katie Geydoshek struggled to throw a strike, and the Jaguars capitalized with a seven-run inning.

South Alabama second-year outfielder Presley Lively was first on base with a walk and scored on a double from first-year utility player Gracie Dees, who advanced to third. Third-year infielder Olivia Branstetter stepped up with a sacrifice bunt to bring Dees in for the second run. Branstetter made it home after third-year infielder Virginia Mambelli singled up the middle.

Mambelli advanced to third following singles from third-year infielder Caitlyn Gavin and second-year catcher Ansleigh Smith. With bases loaded, second-year outfielder Edy Gavin sent a double to the left to bring all three runners in. Gavin scored the seventh run after Lively tripled to the left.

The last run of the game was in the bottom of the second following a homer from fourth-year infielder Kayden Dunn, ending game four for the Ramblers.

University of West Georgia:

Loyola faced their fourth straight loss against the University of West Georgia Feb. 22 after the Wolves took the game 3-2.

West Georgia took an early lead in the top of the first with two runs. Wolves third-year outfielder Megan Waites was first at bat and walked. First-year outfielder Ella Oswalt reached on an error from Croker at second. Both runners were brought in by a single from third-year pitcher and utility player Jenna Samuel.

Fourth-year Wolves outfielder Zekylah Boyd scored the third run after reaching first on a fielder’s choice and being brought in by a single from Samuel.

Loyola made it on the board in the bottom of the third with a Pawlowicz run. After making it on base with a bunt, she advanced on a Lesnicki groundout and was brought in by a Sedakis single.

The game remained actionless until the bottom of the seventh when Piotrowski singled with a bunt and advanced on a Lesnicki single. An at-bat with Sedakis brought in Piotrowski to take the score 3-2, but the Jaguars ended with the win, and the Ramblers notched another loss.

The Ramblers will be on the road again, heading to the Wolfpack Classic in Raleigh, N.C.. Their first match up is against The University of Toledo Feb. 27 at 9:30 a.m..