INDIANAPOLIS – The Georgetown University softball team went 2-0 against the Butler Bulldogs on Saturday in Indianapolis in a BIG EAST doubleheader. The Hoyas held onto a 6-5 victory in game one with a three-run double from freshman
Cassie Henning (Atlanta, Ga. / Wesleyan) and clinched a 3-1 win in the later game. With the win, GU advances to 11-28 on the season and 4-6 in the BIG EAST while the Bulldogs drop to 14-24 overall and 2-6 in the league.
Henning led the day for the Hoyas with a pair of hits, including a double and three RBIs, and was joined by fellow freshmen
Mae Forshey (Phoenix, Ariz. / Arcadia) and
Kiki Besnard (Irvine, Calif. / Northwood) and senior
Sarah Bennett (Owings, Md. / Northern), who also recorded a pair of hits each. Besnard also tallied two RBIs on the day.
In the circle for game one, junior
Katie Vannicola (Vienna, Va. / James Madison HS) got the start and threw 6.0 innings of work. Vannicola allowed three runs off of six hits, walked four and struck out one. Sophomore
London Diller (Sugar Land, Texas / George Ranch) finished the game off without giving up any more runs.
Both squads got off to a slow start in the first contest, as neither team had a good opportunity to score. The Hoyas changed the momentum in the top of the fourth when Bennett loaded the bases with Forshey and Holiday on third and second, respectively. Forshey and Holiday both landed on base with singles to the outfield and Bennett put one between shortstop and third base. Besnard brought in the first run for GU with a sacrifice fly to right field, advancing Forshey home on the throw to take a 1-0 lead.
Butler entered the scoring column in the bottom of the fifth inning with back-to-back hits to take a 2-1 lead. Georgetown tied it up 2-2 in the top of the sixth. With bases loaded, Besnard hit to shallow right field, advancing all runners on base to make it even at two. Henning followed up with bases still loaded and landed a double that lingered down the left field line. Henning sent all three runners home and gave GU the lead back at 5-2. The Blue & Gray scored one more run in the inning when Dolby hit into an out at first, but scored Henning to make it 6-2.
The Bulldogs cut it close in their last at-bat, scoring three more runs in the bottom of the seventh, but GU held off to clinch the 6-5 win.
In game two, Henning pitched a complete game, the first of her collegiate career. The rookie allowed one run off of five hits, walked one and struck out one.
Georgetown took an early two-run lead in the top of the second. With Henning and Amen on third and second, respectively, both runners were able to advance bases on a wild pitch and Henning reached home to score the first run. While sophomore
Deirdre Gallo (Shrewsbury, Mass. / St. Peter Marian) ran into an out at first, Amen snuck home on the throw to put GU up 2-0.
The Bulldogs hit a homer in the bottom of the fourth to cut the lead to 2-1, but the Hoyas took back their two-run lead in the top of the sixth when sophomore
Macy Cartwright (Naples, Fla. / Naples) scored on a passed ball, making it 3-1. The Hoyas held off Butler from scoring in its final at-bats to seal the victory.
The Blue & Gray will return to action on Sunday to conclude the series at Butler. The teams are scheduled to take the field at 11 a.m. Live stats will be available at GUHoyas.com and the game will be broadcast live on BEDN.
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