RADNOR, PA – The Cavaliers ran their current win streak to six games today, as the Cabrini softball team earned a pair of hard fourth victories over the Stockton Ospreys at Cabrini Field.
The Blue and White scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning and rode another dominant pitching performance to a win in the opener, while early runs provide just enough cover to overcome a late Stockton rally in the night cap.
The Cavaliers will return to Atlantic East Conference action on Tuesday, when they welcome the Centenary University Cyclones to Cabrini Field for a 3pm double dip.
Game 1: Cabrini 3, Stockton 1
Both pitchers dominated the early innings, combining for eight strikeouts in the first 3.5 innings. The Cavaliers broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth.
Sophomores
Ariana Mirenda and
Madison Gugel reached on singles before Mirenda scored on a sacrifice fly by senior
Kaitlyn Martin.
Byrnes made the solo run stand, as he kept the Ospreys off balance, stranding five runners and striking out 10 through five innings. However, the visitors got on the board in the top of the sixth.
Junior Kayla Posten opened the frame with a double before a pair of strikeouts. Senior Gracie Meyers delivered the game-tying hit, a single to score Posten.
The Cavaliers didn't any time reclaiming the advantage, muting a two out rally in the bottom of the frame. Mirenda drew a walk before stealing second and advancing to third on a Gugel single. Gugel stole second before Martin delivered the biggest hit of the game. The senior singled to left, plating both Mirenda and Gugel.
The Cavaliers then turned to Byrnes, who closed the door with a 1-2-3 inning, including her 14th punch out of the day.
Mirenda and Gugel combined to go 4-5 with three runs scored and six stolen bases, while Martin drove in all three runs. Byrnes improved to 9-5 on the season, after allowing one earned run on three hits. The junior hurler also matched a career best with 14 strikeouts and surpassed 100 strike outs on the season.
Game 2: Cabrini 4, Stockton 3
The Blue and White grabbed an early lead, taking advantage of a pair of Stockton miscues in the bottom of the first. Mirenda and Gugel opened the inning with singles before stealing second and third. Mirenda crossed the plate on a wild pitch, before Gugel scored on a Stockton throwing error.
Cabrini doubled its lead in the second, as Mirenda blasted her first home run of the season, a two run shot over the center field wall.
While the Cavaliers would record just three singles through the rest of the game, freshman pitcher
Sammi Sisolak made Cabrini's four runs enough for the win. The rookie kept the visitors off the base paths until the fourth inning, when Stockton's Jenna Patterson opened the frame with a solo home run.
It would be the Ospreys' lone run until a seventh inning rally. Back to back doubles cut Cabrini's lead to 4-2, before a deep fly ball to center scored a third Stockton run.
With two outs and a runner on third, the Ospreys looked primed to plate the tying run, but on the game's final pitch, Gugel made a play in the hole between second and third and hit a stretching
Emily Wargo at first for the game's final out.
Mirenda and senior
Allison Martin posted two hits each, with Mirenda claiming a pair of RBI. Sisolak improved to 7-3 on the season after surrendering three earned runs on eight hits.
