ANDERSON, Ind. – The Earlham College softball team swept Anderson University in the final conference doubleheader of the season on Saturday afternoon. With the sweep, the Quakers have likely secured a spot in the 2024 HCAC Softball Tournament.
GAME ONE: EARLHAM 5 ANDERSON 2
Tatum Rickert earned her fifth win of the season with a complete game to start the series with no earned runs on three hits. The freshman fanned five batters and did not issue a walk in the game.
Bo Shelton went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBI.
Ariel Clarkston and
Tatum Rickert both recorded multi-hit games.
Shelton put the Quakers on top in the top of the third inning with a sacrifice fly for
Ashley Lewis. Anderson responded with a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.
In the top of the fifth inning,
Faith Butler hit an RBI-single to left field for Lewis' second run of the day. Lewis then hit her own sacrifice fly in the top of the sixth inning to score Rickert for a 3-2 Earlham lead.
Nikki Alston hit an RBI-single up the middle of the infield, and Shelton brought her home on a double later in the frame.
GAME TWO: EARLHAM 4 ANDERSON 0
Morgan Cooksey threw her second shutout with just two baserunners in seven innings of work. The freshman struck out eight batters.
Butler hit a double, and scored two runs. Lewis went 2-for-4, and
Malaya Tanglao hit an RBI-double as a pinch-hitter.
Earlham took the lead in the second inning on a single by
Bella Schatko with the bases loaded.
Tanglao added to the lead with a double down the left field line in the top of the fifth inning.
Emmerie Stump then brought in an extra run with a single for an RBI.
Cooksey earned a walk to bring home the final run of the game.
The Quakers currently sit in a tie with Rose-Hulman for the sixth and final spot in the HCAC Tournament at 8-10. The Quakers seemingly have the tiebreaker over the Engineers with a better run differential against the No.1 seed in the regular season. Defiance and Manchester each have eight wins, but still have games left to be played.
