RED LION — Lauren Schurman had 13 strikeouts, including three in the seventh inning with the tying runs on base, as Padua defeated Red Lion, 4-2, on April 28. The Pandas went back over .500 with the win at 6-5.
The Lions struck first, touching Schurman for a run in the first. Leadoff hitter Peyton Pusey sent a triple down the left field line, and she scored on a one-out double by Maiti Meginniss.
Each team scored once in the third. Stassi Watson reached on a fielder’s choice, and Abby Delcollo ripped a run-scoring double that missed clearing the left-center field fence by two feet. Pusey struck again in the Lions’ half of the third, tripling to lead off once more. Kylie Ryan knocked her in with a single.
Padua took the lead in the fourth. Hailey Brooks opened the frame with a double just fair down the left-field line. After a batter was retired, Layla Umbriac laid down a sacrifice bunt, but the throw to first was wide. Umbriac went to second, and Brooks came home with the tying run. Sofia Mazzola also bunted, and she beat the throw to first for a single. Umbriac advanced to third, and when the fielder dropped the ball and it rolled a few feet, Umbriac raced home with the go-ahead run.
The Pandas added an insurance run in the fourth. Sara Moore walked with one out, and Schurman singled up the middle to move Moore to second. Brooks walked to load the bases. The next batter, Cate Shrader, flew out to shallow center field, but an errant throw back to the infield allowed Moore to score.
That was enough to Schurman, although it certainly wasn’t easy against a talented Red Lion squad. The Lions had runners reach second and third with two outs in the fourth, but Schurman came up with a key strikeout. The first two Lions got on base in the fifth, and a hit batter loaded the sacks with two outs. Schurman, induced a popup to second baseman Delcollo to escape that jam.
The Pandas faced their final test in the seventh. Regan Medick opened with a double, followed by a single for Morgan Lieske, who then took second on defensive indifference. Schurman would not be denied, however, striking out the next three batters for the victory.
Both Brooks and Moore reached base three times and scored a run for the Pandas. They return to action on Thursday against St. Elizabeth at Midway Softball Complex at 4 p.m.
For Red Lion, Pusey, Ryan and Meginniss each had two hits. Pitcher Angelina Edwards struck out six Pandas. The Lions (7-3) travel to MOT Charter on Thursday for a 3:45 p.m. start.
All photos by Mike Lang.
