CLEARWATER, Fla. (3/4/16) – The University of Detroit Mercy softball team settled for a split on day one from the USF Under Armour Invitational on Friday afternoon in the Sunshine State.
The Titans (5-10) extended their win streak to four with a 4-0 win over Seton Hall (10-9) in the opener. Detroit gave up just one hit to pick up the victory, its third straight of the shutout variety.
Detroit was unable to extend the streak any further after falling behind early in a 11-0 loss to East Carolina (12-7).
The Titans improved to 5-10 with the split.
GAME ONEFreshman
Ashley Mauser and junior
Keaira Schilling combined for a one-hit shutout in the opener. The duo was able to walk the tightrope and escape several jams as Detroit picked up the hard-fought win.
The Titans' aggressiveness on the base paths produced a run in both the first and second innings that gave Detroit the early 2-0 advantage. Sophomore
Savvy Ferstle pushed the first run across via a sacrifice fly in the first, before a double steal from
Kristen Garceau and
Samantha Wolschleger plated UDM's second run.
The advantageous Titans plated two more in the bottom of the fifth after a pair of walks and a Pirate's error increased Detroit's lead to 4-0.
Mauser got the start and picked up her second win of the season after allowing one hit over four innings pitched. She walked seven, but was able to escape bases loaded jams in the first and third innings with key strikeouts. Mauser stranded six and punched out four across four innings in the circle.
Schilling inherited a pair of runners in the fifth with no outs and left three runners on with back-to-back strikeouts to end the threat. She slammed the door with runners at the corners in the seventh to seal the win for Detroit. Schilling finished with three scoreless innings of no-hit ball and added three punch-outs to pick up her second save of the season.
Junior
Laura Villagrana led the offense after reaching base three times on a hit and two walks and added a run scored, while
Cheyenne Willeford went 1-for-2 with a walk and a run.
Jennifer Cottle and Wolschleger each recorded two stolen bases as Detroit swiped seven in the victory.
GAME TWOEast Carolina surged out to an early lead after plating six runs in the top of the first. The Pirates took advantage of six walks and a hit batter in the frame and never looked back.
Three Titan errors in the third allowed ECU to tack on four more runs and the Pirates capped the game's scoring with a run in the fifth.
Detroit's beset scoring opportunity came in the bottom of the third with a pair of runners on, but a strikeout ended the threat as the Titans' bats were held to just one hit in the game.
Junior
Alexis Robison-Kohrs was tagged with the loss after allowing six runs in 1.2 innings pitched.
Freshman
Paige Fairchild tossed 2.2 effective innings with just one earned run allowed.
TITANS NOTES- The Titans won their season opener for the first time since 2002, when Detroit defeated Robert Morris, 8-3.
- Detroit's back-to-back shutouts against Radford and South Carolina State were the Titans' first since 2006 against IPFW.
- UDM's three game win streak against Charleston, Radford and South Carolina State was the Titans' first since 2012 against Lafayette, Fairleigh Dickinson and Dayton
- Detroit recorded its third-straight shutout win with a 4-0 decision over Seton Hall. It is the first time UDM has done so since 1992 against Loyola and Dayton (twice)
- The 4-0 win over Seton Hall was Detroit's fourth-straight victory. The last time UDM won four straight was in 2008 against La Salle (twice), Western Carolina and Holy Cross
ON DECKDetroit returns to action in the USF Under Armour Invitational on Saturday against Texas State and Providence. The Titans square off with the Bobcats at 12:15 p.m. and wrap the day up with a 5 p.m. contest against the Friars.
