Softball

 

Crusaders Win Two on Final Day in Maryland

Related Links:
Grove City Box Score
TCNJ Box Score

The Capital University softball team capped a strong showing at the Salisbury (Md.) Invitational with a pair of victories Saturday, knocking off Grove City and the College of New Jersey in a pair of non-conference games.

The Crusaders (7-5 overall) scored eight runs in the first inning en route to a 14-1 win over Grove City (2-7) in five innings. Capital, which didn't commit an error in either game, concluded the day with a hard-fought 2-0 triumph against the College of New Jersey.

In their first contest, the Crusaders posted nine hits and took advantage of 10 wild pitches and four errors, ending the game by the mercy rule after the top of the fifth.

Junior Devan Boggs (West Jefferson, Ohio) led the offense with three hits, three runs and one run batted in, while senior Jessica Stoltz (Englewood, Ohio) and junior Lexi Majoy (Huron, Ohio) knocked in two runs apiece. Stoltz, Majoy, junior Katie Neely (Sugar Grove, Ohio) and freshman Brooke Billings (Clyde, Ohio) each scored twice.

Freshman Alyssa Patznick (Newark, Ohio) went the distance for her fifth victory of the season, allowing just one run and one hit while striking out three. 

The Crusaders scored 13 times in the first two innings to take control of the game early.

Against TCNJ (7-4), Capital took advantage of a stellar pitching performance by sophomore starter Jessica Montgomery (Newark, Ohio; at right), who registered her second victory of the season. Montgomery tossed a complete-game shutout, surrendering just two hits while striking out a pair.

Stoltz pushed what proved to be the game-winning run across in the third, when she grounded to the shortstop to score freshman Nicole George (Clyde, Ohio). The Crusaders added an insurance run when Majoy led off the top of the sixth with a home run, her first of the year.

Five different players recorded hits for Capital in the affair.

The Crusaders return to the diamond on Thursday at Denison. First pitch of the doubleheader is slated for 3:30 p.m. in Granville, Ohio.