NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SC – The Norse Softball Team (0-7) dropped their final two contests of their spring break trip on Thursday, narrowly missing out on a couple of chances to win their first game of the season. A comeback attempt came up short in a 4-2 loss to Patrick and Henry Community College (13-17). They then saw a lead evaporate in a 7-6 walk-off loss to Lackawanna College (8-7).
In game one the Patriots led off the game with a triple from Greenly Elliot (FR, Danville, VA) resulting in the first run of the game on a subsequent groundout. An RBI single by Emily Gilley (FR, Bassett, VA), and a two-RBI double off the bat of Elliot put Patrick and Henry up by four early in the game.
The Norse failed to move two leadoff walks around in the second and weren't able to put together a threat until the fifth. There they were the beneficiaries of two errors to start the inning. With one out Izzy Drabant (SO, Sandusky, MI) singled on a ball to left field. Desiree Bender (SO, Sandusky, MI) singled into center to drive Drabant home, but a line drive would double up a runner in the next at bat, ending the Bay rally.
The Norse would not get another baserunner in the game, falling by a final of 4-2.
Drabant pitched well for the Norse, scattering nine hits and giving up just one walk while striking out three, but took the loss.
Amara Martinez (FR, Freeport, TX) picked up a pair of hits in three at bats and stole a base.
For the Patriots Laila Rodriguez (FR, Virginia Beach, VA) started and went five innings for the win. She gave up four hits and walked two. Both runs were unearned.
Rodriguez, Elliot, Bailey Daeke (SO, Henderson, NC) each had multi-hit games.
The second game of the day turned out to be an exciting back-and-forth affair in which the Norse took the early lead. Lexie Resseguie (FR, Fort Collins, CO) tripled in the first to drive in a run and scored on Sierra Jones' (SO, Calgary, AB) single to right, putting Bay up two.
Lackawanna took advantage of a leadoff walk and scored their first run in the bottom half of the first with a sacrifice fly. They tied the game in the third with an RBI single from Morgan McVicar (FR, Blakley, PA).
The Falcons took their first lead of the day in the fifth. McVicar doubled into right field to drive in two and scored on a two-out Paige Pieper (FR, Middleton, ID) single to left, giving Lackawanna a 5-2 lead.
The Norse answered back in the sixth. After a leadoff walk and a one out single, Zoe Rumble (SO, Blenheim, ON) doubled to center to bring home a run. Bay stranded runners in scoring position however, sending the game into the seventh with the Falcons leading by two.
Bay rallied again in the seventh. After Piper Monroe (FR, Menominee, MI) drew a leadoff walk, Drabant made it pay off by following it with a hard-hit triple into right. She scored on Martinez's single the following at bat to tie the game. With one out Ressiguie lined a single into center to bring Martinez to the plate, giving Bay a 6-5 lead.
The Falcons led off the bottom half with a pair of hits to set the stage for a dramatic finish. With one out, Skylar Borthwick (SO, Pittston, PA) singled to right field, driving in two runs to walk it off with a 7-6 win for Lackawanna.
Ressiguie and Jones each collected a pair of hits for the Norse.
McVicar ended the game with a three for three effort and drove in four runs.
The loss leaves the Norse still looking for their first win of the season as they had back up north. They will open conference play next with a four-game series at Muskegon Community College. Those games will be played on March 28 and 29.