Another Sweep For the Tartans Makes Five Straight Wins

(CLERMONT, Fla.) – The Carnegie Mellon University softball team ran its record to 6-2 with its fifth straight win after a sweep against Wheaton (Mass.) College and Penn State Behrend on Wednesday, March 11 at The Spring Games in Clermont, Florida. The Tartans first topped Wheaton by a 5-3 score before ending the evening with a 6-4 win against Behrend.

The Tartans led 4-1 after three innings against Wheaton, scoring in each inning with two runs coming in the top of the third. Sophomore Audrey Pederson (Bedford, N.H. / Bedford), who was 3-for-3 in the game, singled to center field in the third and advanced to third base after an error by the catcher that scored sophomore Megan Hu (Katy, Texas / Seven Lakes) who reached on a single and stole second. Pederson then scored the second run of the inning on a sacrifice fly to center field by freshman Isabel Bermudez (Austin, Texas / Dripping Springs).

Pederson collected her third hit of the game with a single through the right side to plate Hu who reached on a bunt single and stole second before racing to the plate for the Tartans' fifth run of the game.

Sophomore Amanda Schwartz (Fairfield, N.J. / West Essex Regional) pitched 3.2 solid innings as the starter, scattering three hits with two strikeouts while allowing one run. Sophomore Gwen Delacruz (Laguna Nigel, Calif. / Aliso Niguel) earned the win in relief, giving up one hit and two runs, and struck out the last batter of the game.

After giving up two runs in the top of the first inning to Penn State Behrend, the Tartans scored twice in their half of the inning to knot the score early. Sophomore Emily Song (Mount Arlington, N.J. / Roxbury) led off with a walk, stole two bases, and then scored on a fielder's choice sacrifice bunt by freshman Tessa Bruneau (Edgewater Park, N.J. / Holy Cross Prep). Two outs later, freshman Emily Finger (Aurora, Ill. / Metea Valley) tripled to right field and scored on a single to left field by Bermudez.

The Tartans took a 3-2 lead in the fourth inning after sophomore Meghan Holquist (Ellicott City, Md. / Mount Hebron) doubled and scored on a throwing error by the third baseman when Delacruz put the ball in play.

Behrend briefly took the lead again with two runs off four hits in the fifth inning but the Tartans responded to tie the game again in their half of the inning. With two outs, sophomore Audra Scheinman (Falls Church, Va. / George C. Marshall) singled and then stole second. Finger then singled through the right side to plate Scheinman.

Two runs in the sixth inning for the Tartans set the table for the victory as freshman Adriana Agosta (Grosse Pointe, Mich. / Grosse Pointe South) retired the Lions in order for her first career save. Sophomore Scotty McGee (Huntington Beach, Calif. / Huntington Beach) earned her fifth win of the season pitching 6.0 innings with five hits against and six strikeouts.

Song, Finger, and Holquist each had two hits against Behrend while Pederson and Hu had a multi-hit game against Wheaton.

The Tartans will continue action on Thursday against Heidelberg University at 11:30 a.m. and Defiance College at 1:45 p.m.