BRANDYWINE HUNDRED — Lauren Schurman has been outstanding in the circle for the Padua softball team this season, allowing just two hits through the Pandas’ first three games. She was solid again on April 4 at Concord, but she as much noise with her bat, collecting four hits — including two home runs — and four runs batted in as Padua shut out the Raiders, 15-0.
The first five four batters reached for the Pandas, and all scored. Siena Evans reached on an error leading off, and the bats just heated up after that. Sophia Ceccola tripled in Evans, and Ceccola scored on a double by Cate Shrader. That brought Schurman to the plate, and she launched a bomb to left-center field. She initially slowed as she reached third, but the ball was still too far away to get her as she completed her trip around the bags.
Padua added a pair in the second. Shrader singled in Evans, and Schurman plated Shrader with a triple to dead center field.
The score was 9-0 entering the seventh, and the Pandas’ offense wasn’t done. They loaded the bases with one out, and Shrader emptied them with a triple to deep right field. Shrader scored on the play when the ball was bobbled as it made its way back to the infield.
Schurman closed out her big day on offense with her second big fly of the day. This one nearly reached the tennis courts beyond the scoreboard in left. Kaitlin Duppel singled in Alexandra Dawson to wrap up the scoring.
Schurman did not let her busy day on the bases affect her pitching. Two Raiders reached with one out in the first, but Schurman struck out the next two to get out of trouble. Concord also put two on in the third with their first two hits of the game, but Bridget Casey caught a line drive, and Schurman ended the threat with another strikeout.
She retired 11 of the last 12 Raiders batters, with the lone exception reaching on an error.
Overall, Schurman allowed just the two hits and struck out 11. On offense, she had four hits (and was a double short of the cycle) with four runs batted in. Shrader also had four hits, and she both drove in and scored five. Evans and Dawson each had three hits. The Pandas improved to 3-1 and are right back in action Wednesday at 4 p.m. against Delmarva Christian at Midway Softball Complex.
Concord finished with two hits. The Raiders (3-3) host William Penn on Thursday at 3:30 p.m.
All photos by Mike Lang.
