Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Solid pitching efforts from senior Holly Lansberry (Curwensville, Pa./Curwensville Area) and sophomore Caroline Lapano (Harrisburg, Pa./Trinity) and two outfield assists and a homer from senior Amy Cline (Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg Area) helped the Lycoming College softball team sweep its opening day of the 2013 season, beating Mary Washington, 7-2, and La Roche, 4-2, at the National Collegiate Sports Invitational at the Central Park Sports Complex on Monday, March 4.
 
Lansberry tossed an eight-hitter with five strikeouts and no walks to lead the Warriors past Mary Washington in the season-opener while Lapano pitched just as well in the nightcap, tossing a seven-hitter and striking out four. Lapano was also just as effective at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a run and two RBI in the game.
 
Cline, meanwhile, launched a two-run homer in the third inning of the first game and then made two huge plays in center field, gunning down a runner at the plate in the fourth inning of the first game and in the fifth inning in the second game, stopping opponents’ rallies in their tracks.
 
Lycoming (2-0 overall) cracked the scoreboard in the first inning of the first game, as senior Taylor Lesser (Lock Haven, Pa./Central Mountain) singled to left field before senior Janelle Poorman (Bellefonte, Pa./Bald Eagle Area) launched an RBI double to right center.
 
In the third inning, the Warriors took a 3-0 lead, as Lansberry singled before Cline delivered her two-run homer. In the fourth, the Warriors scratched another run across, as freshman Kristi Weaver (Milton, Pa./Milton Area) drew a one-out walk, moved to second on a sac bunt and scored on a single to left by sophomore Nikki Marianelli (Old Forge, Pa./Old Forge).
 
In the bottom of the inning, Cline stopped an Eagles (2-4 overall) rally, when she threw out a runner from center field that was trying to score from second on a single with two outs. The Warriors broke open the game with two runs in the fifth, as both Cline and Lesser walked. After a sac bunt and a strikeout, Weaver delivered a single to right to score two runs.
 
The Eagles got two runs back in the bottom of the sixth, but the Warriors closed the scoring in the seventh with a single tally, as sophomore Katie Pugh (Sykesville, Md./Century) singled to left and moved to third on a single by freshman Chelsey Poorman (Bellefonte, Pa./Bald Eagle Area). She scored on a passed ball.
 
In the bottom of the inning, the Eagles got runners to second and third thanks to two errors, but senior Allyson Marianelli (Old Forge, Pa./Old Forge) turned a double play, catching a ball in left and throwing out the runner at third to thwart the rally.
 
Cline finished with two runs and two RBI, Lesser added two runs and Weaver posted two RBI to lead the Warrior offense, which rapped out nine hits.
 
Brandee Adams and Hannah Williams posted two hits for Mary Washington. Williams also added an RBI.
 
Hannah Otterman (1-4) took the loss for the Eagles, allowing six hits and six runs in four-plus innings. She walked three and struck out two.
 
The Warriors got on the board in the bottom of the second inning against La Roche (0-1 overall), as Weaver and Pugh each singled with one out before moving to second and third on a ground out. Lapano followed with a two-RBI single to left field.
 
In the fourth, the Warriors got two more runs, as Allyson Marianelli reached on a one-out error and Lapano followed with a walk. After a wild pitch moved them up a base and a stikeout, Lansberry delivered a single up the middle to score both runners, making it 4-0.
 
In the fifth, the Redhawks got two runs back with two walks and two singles, but Cline again ended the rally by gunning down another runner at the plate with another toss from center field. From there, Lapano turned away six of the last seven batters she faced to finish off the complete game.
 
Lapano was the lone batter in the game to post more than one hit, while Lansberry also added two RBI.
 
Deanna Tritinger (0-1) took the loss for the Redhawks, allowing two earned runs and five hits in four innings.
 
The Warriors will play two more games in North Myrtle Beach, S.C., at the National Collegiate Sports Invitational, on Tuesday, March 5, facing Mary Washington at 2:30 p.m. and Mount Aloysius at 5 p.m.