THE BASICS:

-Score Game 1: Assumption 6, Wayne State (Neb.) 8

-Score Game 2: Assumption 6, Edinboro 8

-Records: Assumption (1-3); Wayne State (2-7); Edinboro (2-2)

-Location: Minneola, Fla. (Lake County Complex)

-The Lead: After earning its first win in the season-opening doubleheader on Sunday, the Assumption College softball team dropped a doubleheader to Wayne State and Edinboro on Monday in Minneola, Fla. The Hound offense was strong as Assumption plated 12 runs on the day, however the squad fell by a final score of 8-6 in both games. 

Among many highlights for Assumption on the day was a two-run homer for freshman Julia Mazzeo (Milford, N.H. / Milford). She nearly tied game two and put the Hounds back in reach with the clutch performance.

HOW IT HAPPENED - GAME 1 vs. Wayne State

-Wayne State got out to an early, commanding lead in the bottom of the first when two hits and one error caused four runs to cross the plate. Shelby Wobken blasted a homer to drive in the final three runs of the inning before junior Ashley Abad (Bedford, N.H. / Bedford) registered the final out on an infield grounder.

-Assumption reduced the gap to two in the top of the third when junior Cassie Schultz (Amesbury, Mass. / Amesbury) led off the inning with a walk and was followed by a double off the bat of freshman Caitlin Mirabell (Shoreham, N.Y. / Shoreham-Wading River). Following a pitcher change, senior Kayli Moniz (Fairhaven, Mass. / Fairhaven) registered a sacrifice fly to plate Schultz. Junior Ashley Clark (Pawtucket, R.I. / William E. Tolman) followed with a single up the middle to score Mirabell to make it 4-2, Wildcats.

-In the bottom of the inning, the Wildcats strung five hits together to tally three runs and increase their lead to 7-2.

-In the top of the fourth, Assumption once again brought a batter around the bases when sophomore Alex Haskell (Bedford, N.H / Bedford), who reached base on error, scored with no outs, 7-3.

-In the top of the sixth, Assumption registered three runs to make it a close game at 7-6. Junior Jurnee Serating-Ware (Hudson, Mass. / Hudson) doubled down the left field line with just one out followed by a Schultz single through the left side. Sophomore Marissa Gifford (North Attleboro, Mass. / North Attleboro) ripped an infield single to plate Serating-Ware to make it 7-5.

-With two outs, Clark blasted a double to left field to score Moniz, who reached on a single to left center, and Gifford, 7-6.

-Wayne State scored once more on a double in the bottom of the sixth for the eventual 8-6 final.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS - GAME 1 vs. Wayne State

-Serating-Ware started in the circle for the Hounds, pitching 2.0 innings before being relieved by junior Courtney Oliva (Vernon, Conn. / Rockville). Oliva saw 4.0 innings and allowed two runs on six hits and tallied two strikeouts. Serating-Ware takes the loss and is 0-1 on the season.

-Wayne State utilized an arsenal of pitchers in the game. Riley Vanderveen earned the win after pitching 2.0 innings and allowing two runs, both earned, on just one hit.

-Clark was the only Hound to register multiple hits on the day for Assumption with two. She also drove in a a team high three RBI.

-The Hounds posted nine hits overall as a squad, compared to 11 for Wayne State.

HOW IT HAPPENED - GAME 2 vs. Edinboro

-The Greyhound offense started out strong in game two as Assumption went up 4-0 after two innings of play.

-In the bottom of the first, Abad scored on error for a 1-0 lead.

-In the bottom of the second, the Hounds loaded the bases with Abad, Schultz and sophomore Nicole Duplease (Leominster, Mass. / Leominster). Clark stepped up with a double to left center, her second of the day, to drive in all three for the 4-0 advantage.

-Edinboro came to life in the top of the third, scoring four runs to tie the game, 4-4, on five hits including a two-run homer off the bat of Kylie Mason. 

-Edinboro increased the lead in the fourth to 7-4, scoring three runs on three hits and one error. They also added one more in the fifth when Olivia Jankowski tripled to left field to score Jessica Hyland, who had singled, 8-4 Edinboro.

-Assumption began to rally in the bottom of the sixth when Mazzeo struck a two-run bomb over the left field fence, driving home fellow freshman Victoria Petrie (Marlborough, Mass. / Marlborough), who entered the game at catcher in relief and was hit by a pitch. Mazzeo's homer came with two outs in the inning and brought the Hounds to within one. 

-The Hounds attempted to continue the rally but fell short in the final innings for the final score of 8-6.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS - GAME 2 vs. Edinboro

-Sophomore and NE-10 Pitcher of the Week Kendal Roy (Grafton, Mass. / Grafton) started in the circle for the Hounds in game two. She pitched 4.2 innings, allowing 11 hits and striking out one batter. She was replaced by junior Nicole Harvey (South Berwick, Maine / Marshwood) who finished the remaining 2.1 innings, allowing just one hit while striking out two. Roy takes the loss and drops to 1-1 on the season.

-For Edinboro, Carley Nasca claimed the win and improved to 2-0 on the season. She pitched 5.0 innings, allowing four runs on three hits while posting three strikeouts. 

-Abad led Assumption going 2-for-4 in the game. She also crossed the plate twice. 

-Clark boasted a solid outing, plating a team-high three runners.

-The Hounds posted a total of five hits, compared to 12 for Edinboro.

BEHIND THE BOX SCORES:

-Four Hounds posted extra-base hits on the day, including Clark (2), senior Christina Caira (Newton, Mass. / Newton North), Serating-Ware and Mirabell.

-Clark's two doubles on the day mark her first two of the season in back-to-back games.

-Mazzeo's homerun marks the first of her collegiate career.

UP NEXT:

-The Hounds are set to face Nyack and Kutztown tomorrow morning, Tuesday, March 8, at 9 and 11 a.m. at Hancock Park in Clermont, Fla. 

STAY CONNECTED:

-For the latest on Assumption College Athletics, follow the Hounds via social media on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. For more information, contact the Office of Athletic Communications at 508-767-7240. 

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