CHILLICOTHE, Ohio – Lakeland softball opened the 2019 season with a pair of victories over Wilmington College JV and Ohio University – Chillicothe by the scores of 12-9 and 9-2 Friday afternoon.
With the victories, the Lakers improve to 2-0 on the first games of the season.
Lakeland 12 – Wilmington JV 9
It took extra innings in the first game of the season but the Lakers were able to score three runs in the top of the ninth and hold Wilmington in the bottom half for a 12-9 victory.
Cameron Malkamaki nailed a home run and two singles while bringing in three runs and scoring twice. Elizabeth Montgomery, Gabriella Monastero and Nicole Ulogar each brought in two runs while Elena Logan brought in one run in the win.
Nicole Watts came on in relief in the fourth inning and ended up getting the win after not giving up an earned run in four two-thirds innings. Glendy Bergdorf came on in the ninth to get the save after a scoreless inning.
Lakeland got started early as Monastero walked with one out and then came around to score on an RBI single by Ulogar for a 1-0 lead in the opening inning. Monastero was the player bringing in the run in the second inning as she singled in the infield to bring in Logan for a 2-0 in the second inning. Wilmington scored three in the third to take a 3-2 lead.
The Wilmington lead didn't last long as Ely Miller reached base with a one out single and scored on another RBI single by Monastero to left to tie the game up at 3-3. Malkamaki followed with an inside-the-park home run to bring in two runs for a 5-3 Lakeland lead in the top of the fourth. Wilmington scored one in the bottom of the fourth to get within 5-4.
Amanda Casciato started the fifth with a leadoff single and then tagged up on a fly ball hit by Montgomery for a 6-4 lead. Wilmington did add single runs in the sixth and seventh innings to tie the game at 6-6 and force extra innings.
Lakeland started off the extra inning with offense as Montgomery started on second and came in to score on an RBI single by Malkamaki for a 7-6 lead. Ulogar and Logan each added RBI singles to make the score 9-6. Unfortunately, Wilmington scored three in the bottom of the eighth to force a ninth inning with the score 9-9.
The Lakers picked up in the ninth offensively where they left off in the eighth as Watts started the inning on second and Montgomery belted an RBI triple for a 10-9 lead. Montgomery and Monastero later scored on a Wilmington error for a 12-9 lead that would hold up as Bergdorf did not allow a run to earn the save.
Lakeland 9 – Ohio-Chillicothe 2
Lakeland used two big innings of offense to beat up Ohio – Chillicothe 9-2 in five innings to end the sweep of the pair of games.
Casciato hit a double and brought in three runs while Monastero also added a double and a single while bringing in two runs. Asianna Settles and MacKenzie Taylor each had an RBI in the win.
Bergdorf pitched all five innings and didn't allow an earned run in the victory while striking out three to pick up her first victory of the season after getting a save in the first game of the season.
Lakeland put together a big inning in the second and it started with a single by Abbie Tuttle and then she later came around to score on a single by Monastero for a 1-0 lead. Settles brought in the second run with a single to center. Both Monastero and Settles scored on Chillicothe error for a 4-0 lead. Chillicothe added single runs in the second and fourth to pull within 4-2.
The Lakers extended their lead in the fifth as Casciato brought in three runs with a double to center for a 7-2 lead. Monastero added an RBI double and Taylor dropped an RBI single to center for a 9-2 lead that would hold up as the final score after five.
Lakeland will be on the road again on Saturday, March 9 at University of Cincinnati Clermont College for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
For more information about Lakeland athletics, visit www.athletics.lakelandcc.edu.
About Lakeland Community College
Founded in 1967, Lakeland Community College was the first college in Ohio created by a vote of the people. True to our mission, Lakeland provides quality learning opportunities to meet the social and economic needs of the community.
Offering day, evening, weekend and online classes, the college serves more than 10,800 credit and 2,800 noncredit students (2016). For more information about the College, visit www.lakelandcc.edu.