PIKE CREEK — Archmere scored two runs in the top of the seventh, then escaped trouble in the bottom of the inning for a 6-5 season-opening softball win over Ursuline on March 19 at Midway Softball Complex.
The teams were even throughout the game, which was played in cool temperatures with sporadic winds turning down the thermostat even more.
The Auks held the lead on four separate occasions, only to see the Raiders come back the first three of those times. The game was tied, 1-1, heading into the third, when Archmere’s Maya Grande reached on a two-base error to start things off. She reached third on a passed ball and came home on Carly Polsky’s sacrifice fly to left. Meredith Finger then singled, stole two bases and scored on a passed ball.
The Raiders got both of those runs back in their half of the third. Bailey Maloney led off with a walk and scored on a double two batters later from Madelyn Pacelli. Pacelli tied the game, taking home on a wild pitch. The teams also traded single runs in the fourth before the pitchers — Maloney for the Raiders and Finger for the Auks — delivered two scoreless innings.
Maloney retired Polsky on a groundout to start the seventh, but Finger lined a single to left and eventually scored on a wild pitch. Ruby Merenda came to bat after Finger and was hit by a pitch. She would score on a throwing error.
Ursuline, however, refused to go quietly. Gabriella Rosato opened the Raiders’ half of the seventh with a swinging bunt that went for a single, and she stole second. With one out, Caroline Lober singled, scoring Rosato, but Auks rightfielder Cassidy Fanning threw Lobe out at second. The next two batters reached, putting the tying and winning runs on base, but Finger, making her first varsity start as a pitcher, struck out the next batter for the final out.
Finger scattered five hits and struck out seven for the win. At the plate, she had the two hits and two runs scored. Claire McGonigal also had two hits, and she scored a run. Archmere (1-0) is home on Thursday against Concord at 3:45 p.m.
For the Raiders, Maloney struck out eight Auks. Ursuline (0-1) is back at Midway on Thursday for a game against Odyssey Charter at 4 p.m.
All photos by Mike Lang.
