RICHMOND, Ind. – The Earlham College softball team swept Franklin College with a combined score of 3-1 to begin HCAC competition on Saturday afternoon in Ellie Bewley Stadium.
GAME ONE: EARLHAM 1 FRANKLIN 0
Tatum Rickert pitched her fifth career complete game shutout with seven innings, three hits and no runs allowed. The sophomore struck out six, and walked three.
Emmerie Stump went 1-3 with the winning run scored, while
Shelby Hill was 1-2 with the line RBI.
Mackenzie Harvey had the only other hit of the day for Earlham. All three hits by the Quakers went for extra bases.
With two outs in the bottom of the third inning, Stump doubled to left field. Next up in the order, Hill hit a double to left field to bring the winning run home. Earlham later loaded the bases in the inning, but was held to just one run on the frame.
After taking the lead, Rickert allowed just three baserunners for the Grizzlies to hold out for the win.
GAME TWO: EARLHAM 2 FRANKLIN 1 (9 Innings)
Morgan Cooksey matched her career-long with nine innings pitched, allowing just one earned run on five hits and no walks. The sophomore fanned three batters.
Bo Shelton led the Quakers offensively, going 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored, including a walk-off solo homer in the ninth inning. Shelton also had one double.
Macie Ferguson also had a multi-hit game, going 2-4 at the plate.
Franklin scored its third hit of the game with a one-out double in the top of the sixth inning, and scored its lone run on an RBI-double later in the frame. The sixth inning saw the only two extra-base hits for the Grizzlies all game.
Trailing 1-0,
Ashley Lewis earned a leadoff walk, and advanced on a pair of bunts by Ferguson and Stump. Hill then tied the game with a sacrifice fly to deep right field to bring Lewis home.
Tied 1-1 at the end of seven, the teams went to extra innings, where Shelton delivered a rocket to right field for a walk-off win.
The Quakers continue action on Tuesday at home against Hope College. First pitch in the non-conference matchup is scheduled for 3 pm.
