Mar 28, 2017 By Chace Johnston for The Yellow Jacket 4 min read

The Waynesburg University softball team welcomed an NAIA member, Carlow University, to town Monday, March 27, for a seven-inning doubleheader. The Yellow Jackets dropped the first game 7-3 and tied the Celtics 4-4 in the second game.

In the first game, senior Lyndi Gareis started in the circle for Waynesburg University, facing Carlow’s pitcher Madison Miller.

The Celtics jumped out to a 7-1 lead going into the bottom of the sixth inning before sophomore Keri Renzler tried to mount a comeback when she drove in a run in the sixth, before a double steal produced the game’s last run in the seventh. Head coach Richele Hall said Carlow’s offense had no troubles picking up the ball in the beginning of the game.

“In the first three innings, they hit our pitcher pretty hard,” Hall said. “We made a few defensive miscues, but after that, we didn’t give up a run until the sixth inning.”

For the Jackets, the problem was primarily defensive, with four errors playing a major role for the team’s defeat. Gareis, who gave up seven runs, five unearned, would pick up the loss in the game, allowing 10 hits and two walks, while striking out four Carlow batters.

Offensively, Renzler and sophomore Cat Allstatt contributed the most for the Yellow Jackets. Renzler went 2-for-3 from the plate and drove in a runner. Allstatt managed to go 3-for-4 as well for the Jackets. However, the contributions by Renzler and Allstatt would not be enough, as the team left more than a dozen runners on base. Hall said the team could not afford to leave runners on base in games.

“We couldn’t get our players batted in, we left thirteen runners on base and that’s something that we can’t do,” said Hall.

In the second game, Waynesburg started sophomore Courtney Messenger in the circle against Carlow’s starting pitcher Nicole Hall.

Game two got off to a much stronger start for Waynesburg. After Carlow scored in the top of the first inning, sophomore first baseman Alex Lawrence recorded the first of her two RBI in the contest to knot things up in the bottom of the frame.

The Jackets took their first lead of the doubleheader when they strung together three straight two-out hits in the fifth to go up 4-1.

However, the Celtics managed to put together three runs in the top of the seventh to tie things back up. Waynesburg was unable to score in its half of the inning and the game was called due to darkness, leaving the game in a 4-4 tie.

Messenger worked all seven innings of game two. Three of the four runs she gave up were earned while allowing seven hits and a walk and striking out three Celtics. Hall said Messenger’s effort was adequate for the team.

“She pitched well; she faced there top of the lineup for the fourth time, which any good hitting team is going to give you a battle [with],” said Hall. “You also have to take into consideration that NAIA school give scholarships, so for us to hang around with them was a big confidence booster for the team”

Lawrence led the Jackets at the plate by going 2-for-3 in the second game. Overall, Allstatt hit .500 over the doubleheader, going 3-for-6. Messenger and freshman Rachel Skon collected three hits each in the series.

Hall said if it was not for the performance of Carlow’s shortstop, it could have been a different series for the Yellow Jackets.

“I feel like we got robbed on a few plays by their shortstop, [who] made some plays, which if she didn’t, this would [have been] a completely different game,” said Hall.

A busy week on the diamond continues for Waynesburg University on Wednesday, when it plays host to Point Park for another doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.