Point Park earns split against Midway University (Ky.), wins game two 7-1

MIDWAY, Ky.—Point Park battled back with a game two win over Midway to earn them a split on Sunday. In game one Midway piled on the runs from the beginning to route the Pioneers 9-1 in five innings, holding Point Park to only four hits the entire game. Point Park flipped the script in game two as they scored seven runs on nine hits to beat the Eagles 7-1 earning the split and moving to 8-12 overall and 4-8 in River States Conference play.

Game 1:

In game one of the doubleheader the Eagles came out swinging and never let up as they scored in every inning except the fourth to beat Point Park 9-1.

Midway picked up three runs in the first inning to begin their push. With Tenley Gilbert on third following her triple to right center, Kennadi Thompson laid down a perfect suicide squeeze bunt to score Gilbert making it 1-0 in favor of the Eagles.

Thompson was able to reach first on the bunt where she was then moved over by a Katie Rhodes double to right field. Sawyer Snodgrass then ripped a single up the middle to score both Thompson and Rhodes extending their lead to 3-0.

In the second inning the Eagles scored two more runs. With bases loaded for Rhodes, she picked up her second hit of the day with a triple to right center to score both Gilbert and Sidney Hudnall while Thompson was thrown out at home on the play for the third out.  

The Eagles tacked on three more runs in the third as they stayed hot on offense, making it 8-0 going into the top of the fourth.

Point Park had only picked up two hits going into the top of the fifth. With a shutout looming over the Pioneers, they had to make something happen on offense.

Mia Arndt stepped into the box and ripped a single to left field for her second hit of the day. With Arndt on first junior Bella Magliocco laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance Arndt into scoring position. 

With two-outs and Arndt on third following a groundout by Hayley O'Neil, Remi Koi roped a single to left field to score Ardnt avoiding the shutout.

The lone run in the fifth was not enough for the Pioneers as Kyra McCall hit a double to left center to score Peyton Baum who reached base after being hit by a pitch.

Jaylyn Mullenax pitched 3.0 innings in the effort giving up nine hits and eight runs while being tagged with the loss. Kristyna Mala came in and pitched 1.0 innings of relief giving up one hit and one run.

Arndt led the Pioneers offense as she went 2 for 2 with two singles while Magliocco and Remi Koi picked up the other two hits.

Game 2:

Point Park was able to pick up a crucial win in game two to secure the split against Midway as the Pioneer offense scored seven runs on nine hits coupled with a few Midway errors to beat the Eagles 7-1 in game two. Senior Sydnie Reese sealed the win for the Pioneers with a three-run shot over the left field fence in the top of the seventh for her first home run of the year.

Unlike in the first game, game two remained scoreless until the fourth inning where the Eagles struck first.

Tenley Gilbert reached base via a walk where she then stole second to get herself in scoring position for Sawyer Snodgrass.

Snodgrass then hit a single to right field to score Gilbert for the game's first run. From there it was all Point Park.

Point Park had its biggest inning of the weekend in the fifth inning as they plated four runs. junior Bella Magliocco started the inning off with a leadoff single. 

Kristyna Mala followed up Magliocco with a sacrifice bunt to advance Mackenzie Moore, who was pinch running for Magliocco, to second base. 

The Eagles offense then went on to commit their first error of the game as Raigan Chavez reached first base on a throwing error by the pitcher who overthrew Chavez sacrifice bunt allowing Moore to score and tying the game up. 

Remi Koi then scored on a wild pitch giving the Pioneers their first lead of the day. Melanie Taylor then drew a one-out walk where she then advanced two second on a stolen base.

Midway's pitching continued to struggle finding the plate as they pitched another wild pitch allowing Chavez to score and Taylor to advance to third. The score was now 3-1 in favor of Point Park.

The Pioneers got their final run of the inning on a Mara Iagnemma single to left field to score Taylor making it 4-1 for Point Park.

Point Park went on to score their final three runs of the game in the top of the seventh.

Taylor reached base again on a single to left center followed up by Iagnemma with a single of her own to put two runners on for Sydnie Reese. 

With two-outs and two runners on, Reese smashed a three-run home run over the left field fence to extend the lead to 7-1, essentially sealing the game for the Pioneers as Midway was unable to score anymore in the seventh.

Savannah Lee started in the circle for the Pioneers and pitched an amazing two-hit game allowing only one run to score earning herself the win. 

Point Park's offense had nine hits in the game as Sydnie Reese led the Pioneer offense going 1 for 4 with three RBI's. Mia Arndt went 2 for 3 while Mara Iagnemma went 2 for 4 with an RBI. The other hits came from Taylor, Lee, Magliocco, Koi, and Chavez.

With the win the Pioneers move to 8-12 overall and 4-8 in River States Conference play. Point Park returns to Pittsburgh where they will face off with Carlow on Tuesday in a non-conference matchup at Fairhaven Park with first pitch scheduled for 3:00 pm ET