Softball Splits First Games of 2017 in Myrtle Beach
Links: Box Scores (Game 1 | Game 2)
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Highlighted by a complete-game victory on the mound and the first home run of the season for senior captain Haley Currie (Burlington, Mass.) in the first game of the day, the Merrimack College softball team split its first two games of the 2017 season, a 5-1 victory over Winston-Salem and a 2-1 extra-innings loss to Molloy, on the Warriors' first day of competition at the Snowbird Freeze Out Tournament in Myrtle Beach Friday.
The Basics
Score (G1): Merrimack 5, Winston-Salem 1
Score (G2 – 10 innings): Molloy 2, Merrimack 1
Records: Merrimack (1-1) | Winston-Salem (2-8) | Molloy (2-0)
Location: Grand Park Recreational Complex | Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
How It Happened (Game 1)
Following a 1-2-3 first inning on the mound to open Friday's first contest, Currie would step up to the plate in the second inning and hit a home run in her first at-bat of 2017, giving herself an early 1-0 lead to defend. Classmate Kaleigh Finigan (Medford, Mass.) would knock in another run for the Warriors in her first at-bat of the season later in the four-hit inning for Merrimack, taking a 2-0 lead after two.
Currie would again help her own cause the very next inning, knocking in another run with an RBI double to extend Merrimack's lead to 3-0. After advancing to third on a throw home, Currie would score the fourth run of the game on a sacrifice bunt from sophomore Caitlin McBride (Danvers, Mass.) four a four-run cushion through three innings.
One of just three hits Currie would allow in her first start of the year, a complete-game victory, would be a home run for Winston-Salem, knocking a solo shot in the fourth inning to cut Merrimack's lead to 4-1. It would be the only run allowed by Currie in the win.
With Currie allowing no hits through the final three innings, the Warriors would add another insurance run in the sixth ahead of Winston-Salem's final at-bat to make it 5-1. Currie would face the minimum three batters in the seventh on the way to securing the victory.
How It Happened (Game 2)
Merrimack would again open the scoring in game two on Friday, initiated by a walk and a stolen base from Currie to begin the second inning. After advancing to third on a single, Currie would be knocked in via an RBI single from Finigan, giving the Warriors an early 1-0 lead that ultimately would be the only run they would manage.
The only blemish in a quality first start of the season for junior Megan Cook (Bellingham, Mass.) would come in the fourth inning, with Molloy being able to tie the game at one using small ball. After getting in a bases-loaded jam with no outs in the inning, Cook would get two straight outs without allowing a run to score. The Lions were able to tie the game on the next batter with an RBI single, but Merrimack would escape the inning by throwing out a runner trying to pick up an extra base.
The next five innings would go by scoreless, with Merrimack threating multiple times. But Molloy would eventually knock in the game-winning run in the 10th inning, advancing the placed runner on second to third base with a bunt then hitting back-to-back singles to send the runner home. The Warriors would be unable to get that one run back in the bottom of the inning.
Inside The Numbers
- Currie notches her first home run, pitching victory and complete game in the Warriors season-opening win Friday. She finished last season with five homers, eight wins on the mound and eight complete games.
- Finigan registers her first RBI of her senior campaign after a three-hit day. She finished her junior season with 13 RBI on the year.
- The Warriors start their season off in the same fashion as 2016, as Merrimack split both games on their season-opening day in Myrtle Beach last season, as well.
Up Next
The Warriors return to the diamond in Myrtle Beach tomorrow for a noon contest with Felician, followed by a 2:00pm bout with Clarion.
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