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Softball Wins Two, To Play for NEAC Championship
May 4, 2009
Sophomore Kate Kraus picked up a save and a win on the first day of the NEAC Tournament.
The Keuka softball team did exactly what it needed to do on the first day of the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) Tournament. The Storm won both of its semifinal games to advance to the NEAC Championship. The Storm started off with a 5-4 win over No. 4 Wilson College and followed that up with a 7-2 win over No. 2 D’Youville College.
The pair of wins give Keuka a 22-6 overall record on the season.
Against Wilson College, Keuka started off strong scoring twice in both the first and second innings. Wilson answered with a run in the third and fourth innings. Keuka went up 5-2 with a run in the fifth, which would later turn out to be a huge run. Wilson then scored twice in the sixth to get within one run. The Phoenix then loaded the bases in the seventh with no outs, before sophomore pitcher Kate Kraus (Williamsville, N.Y./Williamsville South) came in to strikeout the next three batters and preserve the win. Wilson out-hit Keuka 10-6.
Senior Kasie Davis (Johnsburg, N.Y./Johnsburg) picked up the win while allowing three earned runs and striking out seven. Kraus picked up her fourth save of the season with the three K’s. Sophomore Denise Bilbow (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) batted 2-for-4 with two runs, two RBIs, and a stolen base while also slugging a double and her first collegiate home run. Sophomore Brittany Schrock (Elmira Heights, N.Y./Thomas Edison) and junior Jessica VanScoter (Canisteo, N.Y./Canisteo-Greenwood) each drove in a run.
Against D’Youville, Keuka plated four runs in the first two innings and added three more in the sixth before the Spartans finally scored twice in the seventh. The Storm out-hit D’Youville 10-6. Kraus pitched a complete game while not allowing an earned run with four strikeouts. Bilbow batted 2-for-4 again with two runs scored, an RBI, and two stolen bases. Sophomore Morgan Engelbert (Elmira Heights, N.Y./Thomas Edison) also batted 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a pair of stolen bases. Schrock and sophomore Sarah Fredricks (Milton, Ontario/E.C. Drury) each had two hits in four at bats as well.
Keuka will next square off against D’Youville College again in the NEAC Championship game on Saturday, May 2.
