Home Local Sports Padua softball picks up 9-0 win vs. St. Elizabeth

Padua softball picks up 9-0 win vs. St. Elizabeth

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The Dialog/Mike Lang

WILMINGTON – A few days off didn’t hurt Padua’s softball team, which scored in each inning after a restart of last week’s suspended game against St. Elizabeth. The Pandas hat their bats ready, and the gloves were equally as valuable in a 9-0 win on May 7.

The game started last week at the Midway Softball Complex, but rain stopped play as the bottom of the third inning got started, so that is where the teams picked up. Padua brought a 1-0 lead into Tuesday afternoon’s action, which took place under bright blue skies. St. Elizabeth pitcher Skylar Gallucio retired the first two batters she faced, but the Pandas would not go in order. Hailey Brooks tripled to left-center and scored when the throw to third base went out of play.

Mel Grant delivers for Padua. She retired nine of the final 10 St. Elizabeth hitters. (The Dialog/Mike Lang)

Padua scored one more in the fourth, this also with two outs. Sara Moore walked with one out, moved to second on a walk and scored on a single off the bat of Caitlin Donnelly.

The Pandas had enough of the single-run innings and scored three times in the fifth. Hannah Solge opened the frame with a triple; she came home when Brooks smacked a single to left. Alex Musial’s double put runners on second and third, and Sara Bobiak’s single to right brought Brooks home. The final run of the inning came courtesy of a Zoey Jones double.

Three more Pandas crossed the plate in the sixth. Nadia Baker doubled the first one home. After the Vikings recorded two outs, Brooks scored on a throwing error, and Moore singled over the shortstop to plate Bobiak.

Pandas pitcher Mel Grant got in a bit of hot water in the fourth inning, but that was the only trouble. Consecutive one-out singles by the Vikings’ McKenzie Sweeney and Caitlyn May put runners at first and second. The Pandas got an out at third on a grounder, but Sydney Hazelton followed with a single to left. Padua’s Bobiak came up throwing, getting the runner at third base before the lead runner crossed the plate, preserving the shutout.

Grant retired nine of the final 10 batters she faced. Sweeney worked a walk in the sixth to spoil the clean inning.

Final statistics were not available late Tuesday night. The Pandas improved to 8-6 and are right back at it Wednesday afternoon vs. Caravel at 3:45 p.m. at Midway.

The Vikings did not have to wait long to get back in action. They defeated Archmere, 15-5, in a regularly scheduled contest right after the Padua game. They are now 10-5 and host Mount Pleasant on Thursday at 4 p.m.