The Muskingum softball team fell in their season opener to Mount Union in doubleheader action on Saturday afternoon. They lost Game 1, 12-5, and Game 2, 8-4.

The Basics

• Records: Muskingum (0-2), Mount Union (2-0)
• Location: New Concord, OH - Donna J. Newberry Field

Game 1

Inside The Numbers

• Senior Hannah Duff started in the circle for the Muskies in Game 1. Duff pitched four innings, allowing three runs on seven hits.
• Sophomore Skylar Lafferty tossed two innings for Muskingum.
• Senior Bailey Waitkus led the Muskie offense with two RBIs off two hits.
• Senior Karsyn Shaffer, senior Riley Powers, and senior Alexia Dowdle each chipped in one RBI.
• Muskingum scored five runs off 11 hits, while the Purple Raiders secured 12 runs of 14 hits.
• Cheyanne Bosse pitched a complete game for Mount Union allowing five runs off 11 hits.
• Brooklyn Hellman led the Purple Raiders with three RBIs from three hits.
• Alexis French added two RBIs off two hits.

The Difference

• Powers gave the Muskies a 1-0 lead off a single to left center.
• Mount Union took their first lead of the game with two-run fourth inning to go up 2-1.
• Waitkus singled to left field in the fourth inning to tie the game, 2-2. Junior Katie Osburn scored off an error to regain the lead, 3-2, while sophomore Claire Warschauer scored another run to finish the fourth inning with the Muskies up, 4-2.
• The Purple Raiders scored four straight runs to take the lead back, 6-4.
• Waitkus singled to the shortstop in the sixth inning to score senior Francesca Stefano and cut Muskingum's deficit to one.
• Mount Union exploded in the seventh inning with six runs to seal the victory.

Game 2

Inside The Numbers

• Junior Hannah Smith started on the mound for the Muskies and pitched three innings allowing five runs off five hits.
• Freshman Autumn Chorba pitched four innings allowing three runs off three hits.
• Stefano led the Muskies with two RBIs off three hits.
• Osburn and freshman Alex Fankhauser each added one RBI for Muskingum.
• Shaffer, Smith, and Stefano each stole one base during the game.
• The Muskies score four runs off of ten hits, while Mount Union snagged eight runs off seven hits.
• Peyton Morrison pitched a complete game for the Purple Raiders allowing four runs on ten hits
• Maddie Pidgeon and Maggie Dominick led the Purple Raiders with three RBIs each.

The Difference

• Mount Union secured the first five runs of the contest and take a 5-0 lead.
• Osburn singled to left field to give the Muskie their first points of the game in the fourth inning.
• Muskingum scored three runs in the fifth inning to cut the deficit to one and be down 5-4. The Muskies got RBI hits from Stefano and Fankhauser in the inning.
• The Purple Raiders scored three more runs in the seventh inning to take an 8-4 lead.
• The Muskies couldn't capitalize on a bases loaded situation in the bottom of seventh inning and saw Mount Union hold on for victory.

Up Next

• The Muskies look to defend home field against Mount Union in doubleheader action on Sunday, March 7. First pitch for Game 1 is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. and Game 2 is set for 3:00 p.m. at Donna J. Newberry Field.