Midway, Carlow record opening round wins in RSC Softball Championship
RSC Sports Information
VIENNA, W.Va. - Third-seeded Midway University and No. 4 seed Carlow University both posted narrow wins on Thursday evening in the opening round of the 2021 River States Conference Softball Championship at Jackson Memorial Park.
Midway made an early lead stand up in a 4-2 triumph over sixth-seeded West Virginia University-Tech, while Carlow scored a 2-1 walk-off victory over No. 5 seed Asbury University.
By virtue of its win, Midway (23-30) will face top-seeded Rio Grande (42-13) on Friday when the tourney resumes with winner's bracket play at 10 a.m.
Carlow (16-23-1) will square off with No. 2 seed Indiana University-Southeast (42-14) in Friday's other 10 a.m. game.
Asbury (19-30) will face the Rio Grande-Midway loser in one of two elimination contests at noon, while WVU-Tech (19-22) gets the IU Southeast-Carlow loser in the other.
The winner's bracket final, featuring the survivors of Friday's first two games, will take place at 2 p.m., with another elimination game wrapping up the schedule at 4 p.m.
Midway struck first in its Thursday night win, scoring three runs in the opening inning.
Mary Andres reached on a one-out error before coming around to score on an RBI single by Alyssa Yates. The next batter, Lauren Lingafelter, sent a 1-1 pitch over the left field fence for a two-run home run – her first of the season.
That lead would stand pat until the bottom of the fifth when Katie Rhodes opened the inning with a solo home run – her third of the season – pushing Midway's lead to 4-0.
WVU-Tech got on the board in the sixth when Nicole Kester ripped a two-run double to cut the deficit in half, but Midway held on for the victory.
Madison Ludwig (14-16) picked up the win for Midway as she tossed 5-1/3 innings allowing six hits and two runs. Alyssa Yates recorded the final five outs to pick up her first save of the season.
Courtney Miles (7-9) started and suffered the loss for Tech, allowing four runs – three earned – on three hits in her four innings. Miles also added nine strikeouts to her stat line.
Carlow's matchup with Asbury was a scoreless affair until both teams pushed across a sixth inning marker.
The Eagles grabbed the first lead of the contest when Olivia Judy led off with a walk and her pinch-runner, Madilyn Choate, eventually scored on a groundout by Bree Sanders.
The Celtics got the run back in the home half of the frame when Morgan Nedley led off with a single, was bunted into scoring position and scored on a infield single by Alex Bupp off the glove of Sanders, the Asbury third baseman.
Asbury appeared primed to re-take the lead in the top of the seventh when Harley Wagoner doubled with one out and advanced to third on teammate Taylor Enlow's flyout to the right field wall, but Wagoner was called out on an appeal for leaving the base early to end the inning.
Carlow scored the game-winner in the home seventh when Nedley's two-out grounder back to the pitcher's circle was misplayed for an error, allowing Madison Lampe - who had reached on an earlier infield single - to scamper home from third.
Alysa Fairman started and got the win for the Celtics, while also collecting two hits at the plate. Bupp also finished 2-for-3.
Wagoner had two of Asbury's five hits.
Ally Moore suffered the loss for the Eagles, going the distance in the circle.
The RSC Game Central, presented by Stretch Internet, will broadcast live streaming video of all games of the championship. Fans may subscribe for $7.95 per game or $19.99 for the entire tournament. Live stats will be provided through DakStats, as well as part of the live stream.
Fans are permitted to attend the championship. Daily admission price is $6 for adults, $3 for students with ID, $3 for seniors 60 and over. Children under 10 are free.
Masks are required when unable to social distance. Spectators may bring their own chairs and sit outside the fence down the baselines.