Softball Drops Pair on Opening Day

(Williamsburg, KY)-- The Cleary Cougar softball team played their first games of the new season, and came up just short in both today at the Bear Creek Tournament hostedy by the University of the Cumberlands.

In Game 1 at Cumberlands Patriots:  The Cumberlands Patriots scored all four of their runs in the opening inning, as they doubled, then hit two home runs of starting pitcher Caitlynn Duffey.  Halle Dargie came into pitch in relief, and Cumberlands would add one more run on an RBI triple before the Cougars would get out of the jam.  Dargie and the Cougars settled in, and got on things going in the top of the 6th inning.  Mia Rzepka and Gabrielle Monreal each got infield singles, and Rzepka would score on a wild pitch, also advancing Monreal to third base.  Monreal would score on an RBI ground out by Kate Currie to cut the lead to 4-2.  The Patriots would get out of their jam, and the Cougars were held scoreless in the 7th, even though they would get the tying run to the plate.

Caitlynn Duffey would suffer the loss for the Cougars, while Halle Dargie went 5.2 innings, allowing 1 run on 5 hits.  Cleary would get hits from Gabrielle Monreal, Mckenzie Latshaw, Jenna Wagenschutz, and Mia Rzepka in the game.

In Game 2 vs. Trinity Christian Trolls: The Trolls would score three runs in the top of the 2nd inning.  Cleary would respond in the bottom half of the inning when Jessica Garmen hit a solo bomb to left field.  The Cougars were not finished in the inning, as Maddie Bunkoske and Arianna Harden each singled (Jenna Wagenschutz would pinch run for Harden), and Mia Rzepka singled up the middle to score Bunkoske and Wagenschutz to tie the game at 3-3.  The Trolls would get the go-ahead run in the top of the 6th when they scored on three straight singles, and the Cougars would not be able to get the tying run across the plate.

Sonya Terleckyj would take the loss in relief, as she allowed 1 run on 9 hits in 3.2 innings.  Mia Rzepka went 2/3 with 2 RBI, while Jessica Garmen's home run was her first as a member of the Cougars.

Cleary is 0-2, and will take on both Cumberlands and Trinity Christian again on Friday, with game one getting underway at 10:00 AM.