CLINTON, S.C. (March 6, 2022) - Trailing 2-1 heading into the the seventh inning of the second game of the day, the Saint Peter's softball team scored three runs in the top half of the inning and held on in the bottom half to take home a 4-2 win over host Presbyterian to stop their 14-game win streak Sunday at the Scotsman Invite. The Peacocks dropped their first game of the day 4-3 against Youngstown State to finish the weekend with a 5-5 overall record.
Top Performers
- Junior Olyvia Smith and sophomore Maiah Skakal both picked up multi-hit games in the first contest of the day as the duo combined to go 4 for 7 with an RBI and a run scored against the Penguins.
- Senior Katie Sciglimpaglia delivered the big blow of game one with the Peacocks' first home run of the season over the left field wall to bring home two in the seventh. Sciglimpaglia also had a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning of game two to tie the score.
- Freshman Dakota Pitts continued her torrid start to her career as she drove in a pair of runs on a double over the third baseman's head in the seventh.
- Junior Brandi Feeney also drove in a run in the win over the Blue Hose with an RBI single through the left side in the fourth.
- Junior Kristen Brennan earned the start in the circle for SPU and allowed just two runs while scattering eight hits and striking out two.
- As she has done all season, freshman Kasidy Slusser came on in relief and slammed the door as she earned the win after tossing 2.0 scoreless innings allowing just two hits.
How It Happened (Game One)
- The Peacocks started the first game of the day with a run in the second inning. Junior Cara McNulty led things off with a double to center, moved to third on a wild pitch and later came home on an RBI single from Smith.
- Youngstown State responded with a run of their own in the third on a single, a sac bunt and another single to tie things up going into the fourth.
- In the bottom of the fifth, the Penguins got a leadoff single, a hit by pitch and a ground out to put a pair in scoring position.
- After a strikeout from Sydney Senerchia gave SPU two outs in the inning, Youngstown State got a clutch two-RBI single to left to make the score 3-1.
- The Penguins struck again for a key insurance run in the sixth on another two-out single to drive in a run and push the lead to four.
- SPU showed fight in the bottom of the seventh when Smith reached on an error and came around to score when Sciglimpaglia launched a two-run bomb over the wall in left and brought the deficit down to one.
- With one out, Skakal singled and Courtney Fraher and Pitts reached on errors to load the bases with one away.
- The Peacocks were unable to get the tying run across the plate, however, as a strikeout and a flyout ended the game with a 4-3 score.
How It Happened (Game Two)
- The second game of the day was a pitcher's duel through three with neither team getting on the board until the fourth.
- In the bottom of the third, the Blue Hose threatened to take the lead putting a pair in scoring position with one out. Smith kept things scoreless, however, catching a fly ball and hosing a runner trying to score from third for the double play.
- In the top half of the fourth, Skakal started a rally for the Peacocks with a leadoff double.
- After an error moved Skakal to third, Feeney gave SPU the lead with an RBI single through the left side.
- The score remained 1-1 until the bottom of the sixth when the Blue Hose took the lead thanks to a leadoff double, a sac bunt and a single.
- With just two outs left to play in the seventh, freshman Lexi Ross gave the Peacocks a baserunner with an infield single, stole second and moved to third on a single up the middle off the bat of Smith.
- With runners at the corners and one away, Sciglimpaglia tied things up with a sac fly into center field to bring home Ross and Smith made a strong base running decision, advancing all the way to third.
- After Skakal was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a defensive indifference, Pitts stepped and hit a hard one hopper over the head of the third baseman down the line to bring home two and make the score 4-2.
- In the bottom half of the seventh, Slusser came back out and slammed the door with three straight groundouts to end the contest.
Inside the Numbers (Both Games)
- The home run for Sciglimpaglia in game one was the third of her career and the first for any Peacock this season.
- Smith continued her hot start to the season and is now hitting .353 with nine runs scored and a pair of RBI.
- Sciglimpaglia now leads the team with six RBI this season with three in the last two games.
- The Peacocks had a homer and a double against the Penguins and a pair of doubles in the win over the Blue Hose marking their third and fourth games this season with multiple extra base hits in a game.
- Slusser appeared in both games and did not allow a run on the day across 3.0 innings of work to lower her season ERA of 0.64 which is the best mark in the MAAC this season.
- With five wins this season, SPU has already surpassed its season win totals of each of the previous two seasons.
- The Peacocks now have a team ERA of 2.61, good for the third best ERA in the conference.
From the Dugout (Head Coach Chris Stelma)
- "Another great late-inning surge today. This team is extremely confident and our freshman class came up huge today."
- "That's a really nice win against a good team in dramatic fashion. This has been a roller coaster trip but a great trip. I can't wait to get back at it tomorrow!"
Next Up
- The Spring Break trip continues for the Peacocks as they head down the road to Orangeburg, S.C., to take on South Carolina State in a four-game series with a doubleheader Monday starting at 1:00 p.m.
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