POST-GAME PRESS CONFERENCE

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – The No. 8 Ithaca College softball team fell, 6-0, to No. 1 Virginia Wesleyan in the opening game of the 2018 Division III Softball Championship.
 
The Bombers move on to play tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. against the loser of MIT and Luther in an elimination game.
 
The match up remained scoreless through the third inning before Virginia Wesleyan got on the board. The Marlins scored three runs on no hits, but used a pair of walks and a hit batter to push the runs across.
 
Julia Sinnett was the first to cross the plate for Virginia Wesleyan, after Kiersten Richardson was hit by a pitch. Madison Glaubke drew a walk on the following play to bring in Maria Weddle before Cassetty Howerin followed that up with a walk to send Beth Ford home, giving the Marlins a 3-0 lead.
 
Following three quick outs for the Bombers in the top of the fifth inning, Virginia Wesleyan scored three more in the bottom half of the frame to take a 6-0 lead.
 
Amy Large started things off with a walk before moving forward on a Sinnett single to right center. Weddle was then him by a pitch to load the bases, which Ford took advantage of. Ford grounded out to the pitcher which allowed Weddle to score.
 
Richardson followed that up by drawing a walk before Glaubke singled to left and advanced on the throw, which scored Sinnett and Weddle.
 
The Bombers went three up and three down in both the sixth and seventh innings, leading to the Marlins' win.
 
Ithaca did not get a hit against Virginia Wesleyan and had just one runner on the day. Freshman Gabby Laccona drew a walk in the top of the fourth inning and then stole second, but was left stranded on base.
 
Virginia Wesleyan's Hanna Hull pitched a complete game to earn the win, striking out 12 batters and walking only Laccona.
 
Ithaca used four pitchers against the Marlins. Haley Congdon started the game and struck out two batters in 2 and one-thirds innings of work before leaving the game due to injury. Freshman Beth Fleming came on in relief, followed by sophomore Shannon Grage and senior Payton Cutting. As a staff, IC walked a total of nine Virginia Wesleyan batters.
 
The Marlins move on to play the winner of MIT and Luther tomorrow night at 7 p.m.