North Myrtle Beach, SC - Sophomore catcher Claudia Knapp (Howell, NJ) delivered a walk-off double to lift Northern Vermont University-Lyndon to a 4-3 softball victory over Massachusetts Maritime Academy on the Hornets' third day at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic. Unfortunately the Hornets were unable to get their bats working in their second game of the day, as they dropped an 1-0 decision to Albion College. With the split, Lyndon is now 3-1 on the young season. Mass Maritime fell to 0-4 while Albion started their season 2-0.
Game 1 - NVU-Lyndon 4, Mass Maritime 3
Runs were tough to come by for both teams, as Hornet pitcher Emily Anderson (Levittown, NY) and Buccaneer pitcher Jennamarie Klemp locked up in a pitcher's duel. Mass Maritime broke the ice in the top of the third inning. Hannah Burton led off the inning by reaching base on a wild pitch on a third strike. Taylor Lane entered as a pinch runner for Burton. Then with two outs, Wrin Donlan doubled in Lane to give the Buccaneers the lead.
The score would remain 1-0 until the top half of the sixth inning. Mass Maritime would capitalize on a pair of Lyndon errors to push across two unearned runs. The Hornets would respond with two runs in the bottom half of the inning, thanks to Seairra Anderson's (Somersworth, NH) two-out two-run base hit.
After Emily Anderson retired the Buccaneers in the top half of the seventh inning, the Hornets had one more opportunity. With one out, Amber Everett (Morrisville, VT) reached on an error. Audrey Tembreull (Vergennes, VT) reached on another Buccaneer error, allowing Everett to score to tie the game. That set the stage for Knapp' heroics. When she laced a double to left field, Tembreull came around to score and give Lyndon the victory.
Emily Anderson picked up the win in the circle, scattering eight hits while limiting Mass Maritime to one earned run while striking out one over seven innings of work. Klemp allowed two earned runs and five hits in getting tagged with the loss.
Game 2 - Albion 11, NVU-Lyndon 0
The Hornets couldn't generate any offense in their second contest Sunday. Albion pitcher Gabrielle Hirkaway delivered a complete game shutout, scattering five hits and striking out four over five innings.
After Albion loaded the bases in their half of the second inning, Courtney Ellis delivered a bases clearing triple to put the Britons in front. Ellis would come home on a ground out, then Albion would tack on seven runs on six hits in the bottom of the fourth inning to put the game away.
Kirkaway earned the win, while Victoria Valentine (Burke, VT) absorbed the loss for Lyndon.
Lyndon and Albion will square off again on Monday morning at 10:00 am. The Hornets will then face the University of Mary Washington at noon.