This past week the Marauders faced off against three PSAC East division softball teams: Kutztown, Shippensburg and West Chester.

They traveled to Kutztown on Wednesday to play the team projected to win the PSAC East.  In both games of the doubleheader, the Marauders kept the game close by only allowing six runs to the top ranked team.  Millersville started strong in game one, scoring two runs in the first inning.  Junior shortstop Lindsay Hosier led off the game with a single, and was able to score from third on a passed ball.  Later in the inning, sophomore third basemen Casey Coker scored on a sacrifice fly from freshman Kelly Fitzgerald.  The Marauders failed to score another run and Kutztown spread out three runs during the game to win 3-2.

Pitchers Brittany Peterson and Courtney Eckman pitched complete games for the Marauders.  Peterson, a freshman, gave up eight hits and struck out three batters.  Eckman, a sophomore, also pitched well, but Millersville lost the second game 3-0.

The Marauders hoped to bounce back from the two close losses, and play well against Shippensburg on Friday. Peterson started the first game and pitched eight innings without allowing a run.  The only problem: Millersville was also held scoreless.  Defensively, Millersville was able to hold off a couple surges by Shippensburg including a spectacular diving catch near the fence in foul territory by catcher Fitzgerald. In the sixth inning, Peterson got out of a bases loaded jam recording three consecutive outs.  Shippensburg finally scored in the top of the ninth from a double off the centerfield wall to take the victory 1-0.

Millersville sophomore Casey Coker corrals a ground ball and loads up to fire out the runner. Photo by: Christian Shuts.
Millersville sophomore Casey Coker corrals a ground ball and loads up to fire out the runner. Photo by: Christian Shuts.

Determined to earn a split in the double-header against Shippensburg, Eckman took the mound and shut down the opposing hitters.  Eckman pitched seven innings and only allowed four hits.  The Marauders’ bats struck in the first inning, scoring three runs.  Hosier, and senior second basemen Shaina Briel started the game with singles and were driven in by a Fitzgerald single.  Fitzgerald later scored in the inning on an error.  Briel hit her third home run of the year in the second inning.  Eckman held Shippensburg scoreless until the seventh inning but was able to finish them off to win her seventh game of the year.  The final score was 4-1.

On Monday, the Marauders ran into the hot bats of West Chester.  Millersville was not able to keep the opposing hitters in check losing the first game 14-1.  West Chester continued to hit in the second game recording 12 hits and seven runs.  Millersville’s lone run came in the first from an error.  They lost 7-1.

“We’re trying to stay positive. We still have a lot of season left,” senior Emily Flieger said.  “We just have to keep playing the way we know how.  We’re a really good team. We just have to go back to the basics,” Flieger said.