Paige Goldberg

The College of Wooster softball team split a pair of games with North Coast Athletic Conference rival Wittenberg University Wednesday, being held scoreless 3-0 in the opener, but then bouncing back, as pitchers Gina Pirolozzi and Jenn Horton combined to allow just two hits in a 6-3 victory over the Tigers at Springfield, Ohio.

The Scots (16-8, 3-3 NCAC) had some opportunities to put runs on the scoreboard in game one, most notably in the fourth inning, when they loaded the bases to no avail. Demi Hart led off with a single, and Horton pushed her over to second with a sacrifice bunt. The next two batters got on base, as Lauren Swinehart drew a walk, and Carly Schoenstein smacked a single, but Wittenberg's (21-9, 6-2 NCAC) Julia Williams retired the next two batters to end the threat.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Tigers scored twice to go up 2-0, and they added another run in the seventh to create the 3-0 margin. Horton allowed six hits and struck out four in the setback.

Wooster struck quickly in the nightcap, jumping out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning. Erica Villa and Paige Goldberg got things started with back-to-back singles, and then after a wild pitch allowed Villa to advance to third, Hart blasted an RBI single through the right side of the infield. Later in the frame, Lauren Swinehart tripled to right field to plate another two runners, and moments later, she scored on a wild pitch to cap off the four-run inning.

Schoenstein and Goldberg added RBI doubles in the third and fourth, respectively, giving Wooster a 6-0 cushion. The Tigers eventually got to Pirolozzi, and added runs in the bottom of the fourth and fifth innings to pull within 6-3, but Horton entered the game in the sixth inning and retired the final six batters, striking out three.

It was Pirolozzi logging the win, as the hard-throwing hurler went five innings, allowing just two hits while fanning four batters.

Statistically, Goldberg went 3-for-4 in the second game, while Hart, Schoenstein, Villa, and Skye Patterson tallied hits in both games. Villa added a stolen bag in the nightcap.

Wooster will host its first games of the season Saturday, when they welcome first-year conference foe DePauw University for a doubleheader that starts at 1 p.m.