Point Park beats Warner University (Fla.) 3-2, drops second game

LAKE WALES, Fla. – The Pioneers took on Warner University (Fla.) on Monday in Lake Wales, Florida for a doubleheader matchup. Point Park took game one by a score of 3-2 thanks to timely hitting by the Pioneers. Warner then took game two by a score of 8-3 to split the series with the Pioneers.

Game 1:

A two out double by senior Hayley O'Neil in the top of the seventh would prove to be the eventual game changer as two runs would score putting Point Park up over Warner 3-2 to earn the win.

The first six innings of game one was a pitcher duel between Point Park's Jaylyn Mullenax and Warner's Allie Hughes. In the first five innings of play each pitcher had only surrendered three hits while keeping the game scoreless until the sixth.

Things started to go in favor of the Pioneers in the sixth after a single to center field forced Warner to go to the bullpen and bring out Madalyn Morton. During Morton's first batter she threw a wild pitch which got far enough away from the catch to score O'Neil giving the Pioneers the first run of the game making it 1-0 going in the bottom of the sixth.

Warner answered back with two of their own runs in the sixth. With two outs Warner's Tyler Mooring singled to center field which brought Jordan Moore to the plate. Moore then sent a shot over the left field fence to put Warner up 2-1 going into the top of the seventh but the Pioneers would not be out done.

Point Park drew two walks to begin the seventh which put pinch runner Mackenzie Moore on second and Mara Iagnemma on first.

With two outs O'Neil stepped up the plate where she hit a double to center that dropped in between multiple fielders to score both Moore and Iagnemma making the score 3-2 in favor of Point Park. These two runs proved crucial to the Pioneers as they were eventually the game winning runs.

Warner did not go out quietly though in the bottom of the seventh as they attempted to mount a comeback. Warner managed to get two singles in the bottom of the seventh but that was not enough to beat the Pioneers.

Mullenax, a sophomore transfer from the University of Northwestern Ohio, got her first win of the season for the Pioneers as she threw a complete game giving up seven hits while only allowing two runs both of which were earned.

Senior Hayley O'Neil led Point Park's offense as she went 2-3 with two hits, two RBIs, and a run scored making her involved in every scoring play on the night for Point Park. Mara Iagnemma went 1-2 with one run scored as well for the Pioneers.

Game 2: 

Just like they did in the first game, Point Park came scoring right out of the gate. With Melanie Taylor at third, Gianna Welsh came to the plate where she hit a double to right field scoring Taylor on the play making it 1-0 Point Park.

Warner made a pitching substitution following the wild pitch as Warner pulled their starting pitcher, Madalyn Morton, and substituted in Tyler Mooring.

The pitching change had no effects on Point Park. Mara Iagnemma was the first batter for Mooring, but Iagnemma did not let the pitching substitution change anything. With Welsh on third after a wild pitch, Iagnemma singled to left center scoring Welsh pushing the game to 3-1 with the Pioneers out front.

In the bottom of the first Warner got their own offense going. Following a single to center field Jordan Moore continued her hot hitting on the day by doubling to center field. Roland came in to score on the hit, bringing the game back to within one.

The duo of Welsh and Iagnemma struck again in the top of the third for Point Park. With one out Welsh hit her second double of the day to left center. Point Park used a pinch runner for Welsh, sending Mackenzie Moore to second instead. Two batters later Iagnemma got her second hit of the day with a single to left center which scored Moore from second base. This made the game 3-1 in favor of Point Park.

From that point on it was all Warner. Warner went on to score seven unanswered runs as they combined for seven of their nine hits on the day in the next four innings. Point Park was never able to overcome the deficit with the game ending in a final score of 8-3 in favor of Warner.

Point Park starter Kristnya Mala (0-1) was tagged with the loss as she tossed 3.0 innings giving up five hits, four runs in which all were earned, one walk, and one homerun. Savannah Lee came on in relief to throw the final three innings in which she gave up four hits, four runs in which all were earned, three walks, and one strikeout.

Point Park's offensive leaders for the game included Iagnemma who went 3-3 on the night with two RBIs as well as Welsh who went 2-4 with two doubles, one run, and one RBI. Iagnemma went 4-6 on the day to lead the Pioneers.

The Pioneers (1-3) have the day off on Tuesday where they will then resume games on Wednesday as they will travel to Pasco-Hernando State College to play another doubleheader exhibition with game times scheduled for 4:00 and 6:00 pm ET.