Detroit vs. Penn Box Score (PDF)

On day two of spring break in Florida, the University of Detroit Mercy softball team rebounded after being blanked by Indiana State to score an 8-6 victory in the nightcap over the University of Pennsylvania and give first-year head coach Sunny Jones her first win as a Titan.

UDM (1-3) never trailed en route to topping Pennsylvania, putting up six runs through four innings before freshman pitcher Anna Bondy (Newport, MI/Carleton-Airport) allowed a single run.

Detroit held a comfortable 8-2 lead after putting two across the plate in the top of the fifth inning, but Pennsylvania added three runs on four hits in its half of the fifth and put another run on the board in the sixth to cut the advantage to 8-6. Bondy would remain on the mound, though, and despite allowing a leadoff single in the seventh, kept Pennsylvania off the scoreboard to earn the complete game victory.

Sophomore Melissa Barrett (Taylor, MI/Kennedy) drew a one out walk in the top of the first before advancing to third on a single off the bat of senior Erica Houthoofd (Unionville, MI/Unionville-Sebewaing Area), who advanced to second on the throw. The Titans put their first run on the board when an illegal pitch brought Barrett in to score and moved Houthoofd to third. Sophomore Renee Zaccagni (Macomb, MI/Dakota) then recorded Detroit's second hit of the inning, punching a single into right field to bring Houthoofd in.

A solo home run off the bat of freshman Kara Spinelli (Newman, CA/Orestimba), who was logging innings at first base in the game, increased the UDM lead to 3-0 to start off the second frame. Spinelli tallied another pair of RBIs in the top of the third, singling up the middle to drive in Zaccagni and senior catcher Jessica Liebner (Ortonville, MI/Brandon).

Barrett drew another walk with one out to start the fourth inning, then promptly stole second with Houthoofd at the plate. Houthoofd singled to the pitcher before getting caught in a rundown between first and second which allowed Barrett to score.

With a six run lead, Bondy allowed a leadoff single in the fourth, and Pennsylvania received help from a Titan error to begin chipping at the lead. But the Titans got both of those runs back in the fifth frame. A double by Liebner, an infield single by sophomore Rachel Copple (Dearborn Hts., MI/Allen Park Cabrini), and a Bondy walk gave the Titans bases loaded with just one out. Sophomore Krissy Pitock (Carleton, MI/Carleton-Airport) then did what Detroit struggled to do Sunday, lacing a single into centerfield to bring in another pair of runs, ending the Titan scoring in the game.

Houthoofd led the UDM offense against Penn, going 3-for-4 at the plate and scoring one run, while Spinelli notched two hits and three runs batted in. Detroit recorded nine hits in the game and showed some patience at the plate, drawing eight walks.

The Titans struggled offensively in game one, and were unable to get on the board, falling 14-0 to Indiana State.

Another doubleheader awaits the Titans Tuesday, as they'll square off against South Dakota at 1:00 p.m. and Saint Louis at 3:00 p.m.