ANDERSON, Ind. – The Adrian College softball team traveled to Anderson University on Saturday for an afternoon doubleheader, where the Bulldogs dominated both contests. Adrian took game one 17-6 in five innings and game two 11-3, also in five innings.
The day got off to an exciting start in the first inning, with Hailey DeChalk launching a 3-run homer and Peyton Russell adding a solo shot. Anderson answered with three runs in the bottom of the first. However, Adrian quickly responded with three more runs in the second, highlighted by RBIs from Taylor Gerhardt and Karsyn Malinich. Anderson closed the gap to just one run, but the Bulldogs took control after that. In the third inning, Abbie Hoff and Maggie Leveille each hit a homer, while Gerhardt smacked an RBI double. Adrian added four more runs in the fourth and one in the fifth, enforcing the mercy rule to end the game with a 17-6 victory.
Malinich finished game one a perfect 4-for-4, while Hoff, Gerhardt, and Leveille also recorded multi-hit games. Abbie Patton started in the circle, pitching 1.1 innings, allowing four earned runs on five hits. Macee Schang came in for relief, tossing 3.2 innings with no runs allowed on three hits and seven strikeouts.
In game two, Adrian got off to a strong start with a two-run first inning. Gerhardt scored on a passed ball, and Russell singled in a run. Anderson answered with one run in the bottom of the inning, but the Bulldogs added another run in the second when Meghan Lupu reached on an error, scoring a run. Adrian then exploded for seven runs in the fourth inning. Lupu started the rally with an RBI single, followed by a 2-RBI double from Gerhardt, an RBI double from Malinich, another Anderson error, and a 2-run homer from DeChalk. The Bulldogs tacked on another run in the fifth, and despite Anderson scoring two in the bottom of the inning, Adrian enforced the mercy rule again with an 11-3 win.
Gerhardt and DeChalk each finished with three hits, while Lupu recorded two. Avery Clark earned the win for Adrian, tossing four innings, allowing one run on three hits, and striking out four. Karli Staley pitched the final inning in relief for the Bulldogs.
Adrian will return to action on Tuesday, March 25, when they face Heidelberg University on the road, with the first game scheduled to begin at 3:30 PM.
