NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Sophomore Rachael Shady (Lock Haven, Pa./Central Mountain) tossed an eight-inning shutout to lift the Lycoming College softball team to a 1-0 win over 2015 Centennial Conference finalist Gettysburg in the opener of Wednesday, March 9's pair of games at the North Myrtle Beach Sports Complex. Lycoming dropped its first game of the season, 8-2, to Eastern Mennonite in the nightcap.
 
Shady (2-0) allowed seven hits in an eight-inning shutout to stop a six-game winning streak from Gettysburg, as she allowed just two runners to reach third base in the game.
 
The Warriors (4-1 overall), meanwhile, rallied to win the game in the bottom of the eighth, as sophomore Ashley Schoenstadt (Gap, Pa./Pequea Valley) singled through the left side with one out. Sophomore Heather Secord (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown Area) followed by lining a single past the third baseman to put runners on first and second. A throwing error on a failed pickoff moved each of them up a base, where Shady drove in Schoenstadt with a soft hit ball to the left side of the infield, as the throw to the plate was late.
 
Gettysburg (8-2 overall) got the first runner to third base with two outs in the fourth, but a flyout to right end the inning. In the seventh, Schoenstadt made a diving grab with one out in the inning that kept a Bullet runner from scoring position. In the eighth, the Bullets loaded the bases off three straight singles with one out, but Shady forced a grounder to shortstop and senior Kristi Weaver (Milton, Pa./Milton Area) delivered a strike to home for the second out. The next batter grounded out to Shady to end the inning.
 
Lycoming had its best chances to score in the second and sixth innings. In the second, junior Morgan Kunes (Beech Creek, Pa./Central Mountain) led off with a double to deep center field, but Gettysburg hurler Aileen Reilly struck out side after that. In the sixth, Schoenstadt led off with a single, moved to second on a sac bunt and after a flyout, she took third on a wild pitch. After a walk, a groundout ended the inning, however.
 
Schoenstadt led Lycoming offensively, finishing 2-for-4 with a run, as the team posted five hits in the game.
 
Both Steph Zengel and Wendy Folfas finished 2-for-3 to lead Gettysburg.
 
Shady allowed seven hits and walked two in the game, but with a mix of 11 flyouts and 12 groundouts, she was able to keep Gettysburg off the board. Reilly (5-2) tossed 7 1/3 innings, allowing five hits and an unearned run. She struck out eight.
 
A four-run sixth inning from Eastern Mennonite (5-3 overall) helped it break open the game and post an 8-2 win to deliver Lycoming's first loss of the season.
 
Schoenstadt went 2-for-4 and both Weaver and Kunes each went 2-for-3 in the contest to lead the Warriors. Shady finished with two runs and a triple, as Lycoming posted nine hits in the game.
 
The Royals took the lead in the first, putting together four hits to score three runs, with Danyele Smith delivering a two-RBI double to key the inning.
 
Lycoming closed within a pair of runs in the fourth inning, as Shady led off with a triple to right field before Weaver drove her in with an opposite field single. In the fifth, Eastern Mennonite got the run back thanks to a pair of singles.
 
The Warriors responded in the sixth, as Shady reached on an error to lead off before Weaver and Kunes both singled to load the bases. After a strikeout, a groundout helped Shady score and move the tying run into scoring position, but another groundout ended the frame.
 
In the bottom of the inning, a pair of errors, a walk and two hits helped the Royals plate four runs and secure the win.
 
Sydney Reath (3-2) earned the win for the Royals, as she allowed nine hits and an earned run in the complete game. She struck out four. Weaver (1-1) took the loss for Lycoming, as she allowed seven hits and three runs in three innings. Shady pitched the last three innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits and two walks.
 
The Warriors get back on the field on Thursday, March 10, at the North Myrtle Beach Sports Complex, when they face Hilbert at 9:30 a.m. and Gwynedd Mercy at 11:30 a.m.