By: Ryan Gasser, sports information director

CLERMONT, Fla. – The Capital University softball team earned its first win of the 2020 campaign and Head Coach Andrea Nagy got win number one of her career with its split on Opening Day, Monday afternoon. The Crusaders fell to Alma College (Mich.) in its opener but then came back to defeat Cabrini University (Pa.) to get into the win column.

ADDITIONAL INFO
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GAME 1 – ALMA 9, CAPITAL 3

Box score

Capital began the day with a 9-3 loss after the Brittons of Alma College broke off eight runs over the last two innings to down the Crusaders.

The Crusaders benefitted from an early error to score the game's, and the season's, first run. Morgan Fadel drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on an error just before stealing third and sophomore Haley Grau's RBI single that drove her home.

Alma tied the game in the top of the second but Capital scored twice more to support sophomore pitcher Madrienne Herdlick (Tiffin, Ohio / Columbian) in her first career start. An error plus a single by Lauren Kachure put two runners aboard just before another Alma error allowed both Kachure and Erica Ogden to score.

The lead was temporary after the Brits took their first lead following a three-run sixth inning. Becca Spenner hit a two-run double and was followed by Hannah Fleming's RBI single allowing Alma to take a 4-3 lead. Spenner came back the very next inning to hit a base-clearing double as part of a five-run ninth that all but finalized the result.

Through five innings, Herdlick (L, 0-1) allowed just one run on eight hits while working out of multiple jams.

Haley Grau went 3-for-4 with a trio of singles to lead the offense, which led an offense that had just five hits against Alma pitcher Daniella Little (W, 1-0).

GAME 2 – CAPITAL 7, CABRINI 4

Box score

Capital's second game was quite different after the Crusaders pounded out seven runs on 13 hits in its 7-4 win over the Cavaliers of Cabrini University. Capital plated runs in each of the first three innings to take an early lead, which was enough to survive a sixth-inning surge by Cabrini.

Erica Ogden put Capital on the board in the top of the first when she delivered a run-scoring single which scored Cory Mangen from third. Capital had three hits and two walks in the opening frame but Cabrini cut down two runs at the plate, one from the outfield and one on a sharp grounder that was knocked down in the infield with the bases loaded.

After senior Hannah Martin hit a one-out double she made her way to third after a passed ball and later scored when Mangen hit a run-scoring single in the second. An error plus back-to-back base knocks by Lauren Kachure and Alyx Slusher drove home two runs in the top of the third, which increased Cap's lead to 4-0.

Kachure added to her successful day at the plate with an RBI double in the fifth to score Ogden. Capital scored twice more with the help of Cabrini's second error of the game plus three walks.s

Freshman Brianna Shearer (Wooster, Ohio / Northwestern) held the Cavaliers scoreless through five innings and shut down the side in a row in three consecutive innings. She struck out the side in the second and between innings two and four, she collected seven of her 11 strikeouts. Shearer (W, 1-0) finished the game surrendering just four runs on seven hits in a complete game victory in her collegiate debut.

Hannah Martin notched three hits, reached base in all four plate appearances and scored twice in the win. Mangen, Ogden and Kachure all logged a pair of hits with Kachure recorded two runs batted in.

NEXT UP

The Crusaders (1-1) will play the same two teams on Tuesday, February 25 in a doubleheader set to begin at 12:00 p.m. versus Alma (3-0). The Crusaders and Cavaliers (2-2) will square off at 4:30 p.m.