CLINTON, S.C. (March 5, 2022) - Junior Cara McNulty had a strong day at the plate with three hits in five at bats to lead the Saint Peter's softball team to a 4-1 win over Youngstown State University before falling 3-0 to host Prebsyterian College Saturday at the Scotsman Invite.
Top Performers
- McNulty produced a two-RBI double and reached base safely in all three plate appearances in game one before going 1 for 3 in game two to finish the doubleheader 3 for 5 with two RBI, two runs scored and a walk.
- Freshman Dakota Pitts also had a multi-hit game in the first contest going 2 for 2 with a run scored and a walk.
- Junior Olyvia Smith and junior Brandi Feeney both finished game one with a hit and an RBI in the win.
- In the circle, Christina Colon was fantastic through four frames as she gave up just one earned run on three hits across 4.0 innings while punching out one.
- Coming on in relief of Colon, freshman Kasidy Slusser was lights out allowing just two hits over 3.0 innings of work to earn her first collegiate win.
- Sydney Senerchia took a tough-luck loss in game two allowing just three runs in a complete-game effort while striking out four.
How It Happened (Game One)
- It was a pitchers duel between the Peacocks and the Penguins through the first four innings with neither team getting on the board til the fifth.
- In the fifth, Youngstown State broke through with the first run of the game when they loaded the bases with nobody out on a hit-by-pitch and back-to-back singles.
- Slusser came on in relief and was able to limit the damage allowing just a sacrifice fly for the first run and getting out of the jam with a 6-4-3 double play.
- SPU broke through in the bottom of the sixth when Sophie Wilson started the inning with an infield single and Pitts put a pair in scoring position for McNulty at the plate.
- The junior broke through in a big way with a double ripped into the left center field gap to bring home two and make the score 2-1.
- After Aubrey Ketcham moved McNulty to third with a sacrifice bunt, Feeney laced a single into right center to bring home another.
- With two outs and Feeney at third, Smith gave the Peacocks another insurance run and made the score 4-1 with an RBI single into left center.
- The next half-inning, Slusser allowed a leadoff single but then sat the next three batters down to seal the three-run win.
How It Happened (Game Two)
- Presbyterian jumped ahead early in the first inning of the second game of the day as a leadoff double, followed by an RBI triple and a sacrifice fly to make the score 2-0.
- The score remained 2-0 until the sixth when the Peacocks had their best scoring chance of the game.
- Katie Sciglimpaglia and Maiah Skakal both hit two-out singles in the inning and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch but were unable to come across as a pop-out ended the threat.
- In the bottom half of the inning, the Blue Hose tacked on another with a leadoff single, a hit-by-pitch, another single and bases loaded walk but Slusser stranded the bases loaded getting a flyout to end the inning.
- SPU went down in order in the seventh to end the contest with a 3-0 final score.
Inside the Numbers
- The Peacocks have now won four games this season, doubling the win total from 2021 and matching the wins from the 2020 season.
- With a hit in the first game of the day, Smith extended her hitting streak to five games before going hitless in game two of the day. She is hitting a team-best .346 this season.
- Colon now has a season ERA of 2.10 across 16.2 innings this season with 11 punch outs.
- Pitts is now hitting above .300 in her first collegiate season at .316. She has a pair of doubles and two RBI on the year.
- The four-run inning in the win over Youngstown State is the most runs SPU has scored in an inning this season.
- Across 8.0 innings in her freshman campaign, Slusser has a 0.88 ERA with only eight hits allowed.
From the Dugout (Head Coach Chris Stelma)
- "Great team effort today and a fantastic win to get game one against a very good opponent. Great starting pitching by both Colon and Senerica and Kass Slusser continues to dominate late in games. We got big hits late in the game with Cara delivering the biggest one."
- "Total team effort today to battle to stay at .500 and continue to grow. A very fun day of softball and we are happy to know that someone knows how we work."
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