WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — First year Kendall Cardone (South Williamsport, Pa. / South Williamsport Area) crushed a grand slam to lead the Lycoming College softball team to a 9-0, five-inning victory in the second game to bounce back from a 9-1 defeat to split a non-conference twinbill against Mount Aloysius on Friday, April 24 at the Shangraw Athletic Complex.
Lycoming (10-18) used an eight-run third, their largest inning of the season, to split with Mount Aloysius (11-19) in the final home series of the regular season for the Warriors.
In the nightcap, the Warriors struck first, doing so in the bottom of the second. Junior Abby Becker (Myerstown, Pa. / Tulpehocken) led off with a single, then Cardone legged out an infield hit. With two outs, an error brought junior Serenity Snyder (Reading, Pa./Governor Mifflin) across the plate for a 1-0 lead.
In the second, the Warriors loaded the bases with no outs on three consecutive singles before sophomore Jocelyn McCracken (Jersey Shore, Pa. / Jersey Shore Area) followed by winning an 11-pitch battle with a bases-loaded walk to force in a run. Senior Alex Eckerson (Hopatcong, N.J. / Morris Catholic) followed with an RBI single through the left side, then with one out, Cardone blasted the first pitch she saw over the fence left-center field for a grand slam, her first career home run and the first slam for a Warrior since Avery Eiswerth connected on March 29, 2024.
The Warriors were not done, though, as Alexander singled, then Eckerson yanked a double down the third-base line, her second hit of the inning and third of the contest. A wild pitch then scored Alexander, with an errant throw also bringing in Eckerson on the play to cap off the eight-run frame, putting the Warriors in front 9-0.
Lycoming hurler Kendall McAnelly (Williamsport, Pa. / Williamsport Area) took care of the rest, spinning shutout ball over the next two innings to secure the five-inning win via run rule.
Cardone finished with two hits, a home run, and four RBI. Becker finished with two hits and two RBI, while Eckerson finished a five-hit day by going 3-for-3 with two runs scored. McAnelly (2-3) spun a complete game, five-inning shutout, allowing four hits and striking out three with no walks.
In the first game, the Warriors answered back after a first-inning Mountie run, loading the bases on a walk, single, and hit batter with no outs. Sophomore Ashley Forrest (Red Hill, Pa. / Upper Perkiomen) lifted a sacrifice fly to left, scoring senior Claire Alexander (South Williamsport, Pa. / South Williamsport Area) to even the score at one apiece.
Mount Aloysius immediately answered back in the second. With two outs, Taylor Doyle reached on an infield single, then raced all the way home on a double to right-center from Hanna Stedman for a 2-1 edge. The Mounties added to the lead in the next two innings. RBI singles from Maddie Horvat and Stedman brought home two runs in the third, but further damage was limited by a strong throw from Snyder in center field, who cut down a runner at the plate to end the inning.
In the fifth, first year Destiny Novashinski (Perkasie, Pa. / Pennridge) took to the circle and slowed down the Mounties with a scoreless fifth.
Eckersen notched two of Lycoming's three hits in the opener, while McCracken had the other.
Stedman, Cutri, and Gable each had two hits and two RBI for the Mounties in game one, while Jessica Koptcho spun a complete-game three-hitter for the win, striking out eight.
The Warriors will be back in action to close out the regular season on the road with a Landmark Conference doubleheader against Elizabethtown College on Saturday, May 2. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
