Gina Pirolozzi

WOOSTER, Ohio – The College of Wooster and Hiram College softball teams played to a split in a wild North Coast Athletic Conference doubleheader Saturday, as the Terriers outlasted the Scots 10-9 in a high-scoring opener, and then the Scots edged out the Terriers 4-3 in the second game, with all of both teams' runs coming in the third inning.

In the Scots' (12-10, 1-3 NCAC) game-two victory, Hiram (7-13, 1-1 NCAC) got on the scoreboard first with a three-run third inning that was aided by two errors by Wooster. The Scots got just what they needed in the bottom of the inning, though, as they scored four runs, which ultimately proved to be the difference in the outcome.

Paige Goldberg got things started with a triple to the gap in right center field, which marked the Scots' 13th triple of the season, and Erica Villa proceeded to drive her in on the very next play. Next up, Demi Hart drew a walk, and then Carly Schoenstein pushed Hart and Villa to second and third, respectively, when she grounded out to the pitcher.

With just one out, Kasey Fiedler hit a sacrifice fly to deep center field that scored Villa and advanced Hart to third. Skye Patterson then drew a walk to load the bases, and right after, a wild pitch allowed Hart to score and tie the game at three apiece. Gina Pirolozzi came to the plate next with the bases still loaded and delivered what became the game-winning RBI, when she dropped in a blooper to shallow left field that put the Scots ahead for good at 4-3.

The opening contest had a Wooster win written all over it in the early goings, as the Scots batted around for a five-run first inning, which was highlighted by a two-out grand slam off the bat of Jenn Horton.

Hiram added two runs in the third and fourth innings to pull within one (5-4), but the Scots took advantage of a defensive miscue to add another run in the bottom of the fourth to make it a two-run game (6-4).

The score remained 6-4 until the seventh frame, when Hiram exploded for six runs to take a seemingly comfortable 10-6 lead heading into the bottom of the inning. Wooster made it interesting, though, scoring on an error, and then plating two more on a triple from Patterson, but came up just one run shy of sending the game to extra innings.

On the stat sheet, Schoenstein went 3-for-4 in the second game, all singles, and added another hit in the opener to raise her batting average from .250 to .281.

Also noteworthy, Pirolozzi reached base all three times she came to the plate in game two, with a pair of singles and a walk, and also picked up her seventh win of the season in the circle, while Horton (4 RBI) and Patterson (3 RBI) were credited with all seven of the Scots' RBI in the opening match-up.

Wooster will look to add some more victories in conference play when it hosts rival Wittenberg University (11-6, 2-4 NCAC) on Wednesday. The first game of the doubleheader kicks off at 3:30 p.m.