Softball Splits Series at Indiana Tech

(Fort Wayne, IN)-- The Cleary Cougar softball team was on the road for another WHAC doubleheader, this time taking on the Indiana Tech Warriors in Ft. Wayne.

In Game 1:  Jessica Garmen led off the second inning with a double, and scored on the next at bat when Maddie Bunkoske doubled to give the Cougars a 1-0 lead.  Still leading 1-0 in the fourth, Indiana Tech broke up Halle Dargie's no-hit bid, and scored a run to tie the game.  Cleary would respond in the fifth, when Mckenzie Latshaw drew a one-out walk, and then advanced to scoring position on a sacrifice bunt.  Jenna Wagenschutz would double down the left field line, and Latshaw would score to give the Cougars a 2-1 advantage.  The Warriors would strike twice in the bottom half of the inning, and held on in the seventh when Cleary would get the tying run in scoring position, but were unable to bring her home.

Halle Dargie would suffer the loss, allowing 3 runs (2 earned) on 5 hits in 4.2 innings pitched.  Maddie Bunkoske led CU with a 2/2 day at the plate with 1 RBI.  Seven other Cougars recorded a hit in the game.

In Game 2:  After two scoreless innings for both teams, both Cleary and Indiana Tech would score in the third inning.  Grace MacCaughan led off the inning with a double, and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt.  Two batters later, Mia Rzepka doubled to score MacCaughan, and Cleary held a 1-0 lead.  The Warriors would tie the game on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning.  The Cougars would explode for four runs in the fourth.  Jenna Wagenschutz would lead off the inning with a walk, and Ashleigh Tatara reached on an error, followed by a bunt single by Jessica Garmen to load the bases.  After a fielder's choice, Grace MacCaughan scored Tatara on a sacrifice fly, giving CU a 2-1 advantage.  A Grace Pasterik single would reload the bases, and Mckenzie Latshaw cleared them on a double to left-center, and Cleary led 5-1.  The Warriors would cut into that deficit in their bottom half of the inning, but only scored once, and Cleary would answer in the top of the fifth to retake their four-run lead.  Kate Currie led off the inning with a double, and would score two batters later when Ashleigh Tatara singled to give the Cougars a 6-2 lead.  The Warriors scored once in teh bottom of the fifth, and twice in the bottom of the sixth, but Caitlynn Duffey came in to pick up the save, as the Cougars held on to win 6-5.

Sonya Terleckyj earned her fifth win of the season, allowing 5 runs on 7 hits in 5.1 innings pitched.  Ashleigh Tatara went 2/4 at the plate, while seven other Cougars provided a hit, including Mckenzie Latshaw's three-run double.

Cleary is now 9-17, 4-6 in the WHAC.  The Cougars will be on the road to UM-Dearborn on Wednesday, April 10.  First pitch of game one is set for 3:30 PM.