UChicago Earns One Win in Three-Game Day in Florida
The University of Chicago softball team finished 1-2 in its three-game day on Wednesday afternoon in Florida.
The Maroons opened Wednesday with the conclusion of their suspended game from Sunday afternoon with #14 Simpson. The Maroons entered the day trailing 5-4 in the fifth inning and had a great chance to level the score in the sixth. Following a leadoff walk by Anna Jensen, Natalie Antin also walked to put runners at first and second with two outs. However, Audrey Hui grounded out to third to end the threat. The pitchers then continued to roll and the Storm held on for the 5-4 victory.
In the second game of the day, UW-Stout jumped out to an early lead with a leadoff single and an RBI double to put the Blue Devils in front 1-0. In the third inning, the Maroons got on the board thanks to a double by Madeline Murphy and a walk by Antin. Then, after a fielder's choice moved the runner to third, Hui brought in the run with a sacrifice fly.
The offense continued to roll in the fourth inning as the Maroons loaded the bases with just one out thanks to a trio of free passes. Olivia Cataldo and Matilda Nelson worked walks and Melana Badea was hit by pitch to load the bases with one out. Then, following a strikeout, Antin came up big again with a two-RBI single, and a third run would come across thanks to an error by the UW-Stout catcher to extend the lead to 4-1.
The Maroons would lock up the run-rule victory thanks to a five-run sixth inning. After a leadoff single by Jensen, Nanako Schroth reached on a throwing error that scored the pinch runner, Brianna Leech. The Maroons stretched their lead to seven with an RBI single by Murphy, a double by Antin, and a two-run double by Hui on three consecutive hitters. UChicago would then add one more run on an RBI walk by Leech to take an 8-1 lead.
In the circle, Eleanor Johnson was lights out and sealed the win by retiring the final seven batters that she faced. Overall, the freshman earned her third-career win as she allowed just one run and five hits en route to her second complete game.
In the final game of the day, Wooster took advantage of a pair of early errors by UChicago to score the first run of the game despite zero hits in the first inning. Audrey Hui reached on a fielder's choice with two outs, but she stole second and scored on an RBI single by Olivia Cataldo to tie the score at one.
The Fighting Scots retook the lead in the second with a solo home run, and they added three more in the fifth with a bases-clearing, 3-run double. UChicago would put the first two runners on in the fifth as Ashlee Boodoo reached on an error and Sedona Ding singled. However, Wooster would induce back-to-back groundouts, the second resulting in a double play, to end the threat. The Maroons had a few more chances down the stretch, but Wooster would hold on for the 5-1 win.
Madeline Murphy led the offense with four hits, and Natalie Antin added two hits and two RBIs. Olivia Cataldo and Sedona Ding also added a multi-hit day for the Maroons.
With the results, the Maroons fall to 4-5 on the season.