The Golden Eagles softball team hosted Lakeland CC in their season opening doubleheader on Sunday and dropped the twin bill by 6-3 and 16-6 scores.
In the opener, the Lakers took a 3-0 lead in the top of the second inning and the Eagles managed to get on the board in the bottom of the fourth. Cassy Donaldson (Sugarcreek, OH / Garaway) opened the inning with a single and moved to second after Karlee Peach (Port Washington, OH / Newcomerstown) rapped a base hit into right field.
The Golden Eagles pulled off a double-steal sending Donaldson to third and Peach to second and Donaldson came home on a passed ball.
After Lakeland added another three-spot in the top of the fifth, the two teams remained scoreless until the bottom of the seventh inning. The Eagles however, missed a golden opportunity in the last half of the sixth when they connected on three straight singles, but a pick off at second base, a force out and a ground out snuffed out the scoring threat.
With the Lakers leading 6-1 in the bottom of the final inning, Alyssa Hughes (Mogadore, OH / Mogadore) reached first and was forced to second when Angelina Landis (Dover, OH / Dover) drew a walk. A flyout retired a KSU Tusc batter and moved Hughes to third followed by a base hit to left by Harley Mason (East Canton, OH / East Canton), that scored both Hughes and Landis before the side was retired on a pop out to short stop and end the game.
Regan Brown (Dennison, OH / Claymont) led Golden Eagles hitters with a double and a single, while Donaldson and Peach both added two safeties apiece.
In the nightcap, the Lakers plated five runs in the top of the first inning and the Eagles responded with one run in the home half. Lakeland scored three more runs over the second and third innings, before KSU Tusc exploded for a five-spot of their own in the bottom of the third.
Dessa Dubbert (Sandusky, OH / Perkins) doubled off the right field fence, stole third and scored on a wild pitch to lead off the inning. Donaldson walked and Peach was hit by a pitch and both moved up a base on a wild pitch and eventually scored on a double smacked down the left field line by Mason. Mason came home on a single by Micaiah Stemple before the uprising stalled and the Eagles trailed 8-6.
Lakeland got their bats going again with three in the top of the fourth inning for an 11-6 advantage, and added another tally in the top of the fifth as the Eagles bats went silent. Leading 12-6 in the top of the sixth inning, LCC scored four more times when the eight-run mercy rule was invoked and the game ended 16-6.
Mason led KSU Tusc in the second game with two RBIs and a double and Peach added two singles.
Karlee Peach made a diving stop at first and flipped a ball to a teammate covering for the out.
Harley Mason scoops up a grounder at shortstop.
Angelina Landis retires a batter with a catch in center field. (Photos by Jim Cummings)