FREDERICK, MD—It had been three weeks since the Houghton softball team last took the field, and the rust showed as the team dropped both ends of a doubleheader to the Hood College Blazers on Friday afternoon.
In the opening game the Blazers pounded out 14 hits—including three home runs in the first inning—and capitalized on four Highlander errors in route to a 14-0, five inning win.
Hood scored eight runs in the first, four more in the second and added their final two runs in the fourth inning.
Jessica Hayner (Waterford, NY, Shenendehowa ),
Taylor Sile (Hilton, NY, Hilton ),
Toni Kling (Wellsville, NY, Wellsville ) and
Kaylee Jentsch (Orchard Park, NY, Orchard Park ) each contributed a hit apiece for the Highlanders.
Houghton started out on a promising note in the second game, scoring the first run of the game in the top of the first when
Bailey Shattell (Syracuse, NY, Faith Heritage ) scored on a first-and-third double steal.
The Highlanders shut down the Blazers in the bottom of the first, but in the bottom of the second the Blazers plated four runs on three hits and two Highlander errors.
In the bottom of the fourth, back-to-back doubles, a walk and a home run put the Blazers up 8-1. In the fifth Hood would slug their fifth and final home run of the day, capping a 9-1 win.
Hayner and Sile each singled for the Highlanders.
With little time to dwell on the day, Houghton returns to action tomorrow morning when they take on the Salisbury University Seagulls. Game One is slated for 11:00 a.m.
