PITTSBURGH, Pa. – La Roche softball closed the non-conference portion of the 2024 schedule on Thursday in doubleheader action against Grove City. In game one, the Wolverines capitalized on Redhawk miscues to win 9-3, while in game two, La Roche pulled through with timely hits to win 8-3.
GAME ONE: Grove City 9 La Roche 3
It was all Grove City over the first five innings, capitalizing on defensive mistakes by La Roche, as Grove City scored one in the first and second, two in the third and fifth, as well as three in the fourth, building a 9-0 lead.
With a run rule defeat looming, the Redhawks pulled through to plate three runs in the bottom of the fifth to stretch the game to an entire regulation.
Ashtin Hoover drove in Anastacia Jacobs with an RBI single to open the scoring, then was followed by Emma Bizay, who hit a sacrifice fly to score Ashlee Bair.
The final run to cross in the game was Hoover, as Maura Wade singled her home.
Emma Kaufman got the start and across 4.2 innings allowed nine runs (six earned), nine hits, four walks and struck out four.
Klover Haberthier threw 2.1 innings of relief, allowing two hits, one walk and set down one of her own.
Offensively, the Redhawks ended with eight hits, as Hoover and Wade each had 2-for-3 showings.
GAME TWO: La Roche 8 Grove City 3
Game two was back and forth early, as La Roche jumped ahead in the bottom of the second as Jesslyn Daniels scored Haberthier with an RBI groundout to open the scoring.
Grove City immediately responded in the top of the third, tying the game 1-1 with an RBI groundout of its own.
Two more runs scored in the bottom of the third for the Redhawks as the lead went to 3-1, after Hoover doubled in Wade, followed by Cassidee Fitterer's sacrifice fly to drive in Hoover.
Once again, the Wolverines had an answer, tying the game in the top of the fourth with a pair of RBI doubles.
La Roche put the score out of hand in the bottom of the fifth, as five runs came across to build an 8-3 edge, the eventual final.
Hoover drove in yet another run with an RBI infield single, scoring Makenzie Formeck, then Kynnydy Lewis made it 5-3 on an RBI fielder's choice that scored Wade.
Bizay pulled through with a pinch-hit sacrifice fly that plated Hoover to make it a 6-3 game and the scoring concluded after Samantha Dixon's two RBI double scored Lewis and Fitterer.
In game two, Haberthier took the circle, this time as the starter, an across four innings allowed three runs, five hits, two walks and fanned two.
Wade came in relief and threw three one-hit innings and struck out one of her own.
Offensively, the Redhawks had six hits, as Hoover's 3-for-4 led the way, followed by Wade's 2-for-3.
La Roche returns to action on Saturday, Apr. 27 when they travel to Alfred State for a pivotal AMCC doubleheader. First pitch for game one is slated for 1 p.m.