Softball Opens Season with High-Scoring Triumph Over Crown

FORT MYERS, FLA. — 12 different players recorded base hits for the St. Joseph's University (N.Y.) Brooklyn softball team with four registering multi-hit games as the Bears came out on the winning side of a high scoring affair with Crown College on Saturday morning, 11-10.

In the second game of their season-opening doubleheader, the Bears dropped a 7-1 decision to the University of Wisconsin-Superior, 7-1.

How it Happened vs. Crown

Arianna Heinsch (Brooklyn, N.Y./Fontbonne Hall Academy) crossed the plate in the first inning after singling and stealing third base. However, the Polars quickly added four runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning and one in the second to lead 5-1 after two.

Heinsch scored her second run on an Autumn Poppett (San Diego, Calif./Mission Hills) single in the third, reducing the gap to 5-2. They tied the game at five in the fourth with a three-run fourth headlined by Nicole Trani's (Staten Island, N.Y./Moore Catholic). Crown regained the lead with a four-run fourth, 9-5. 

Lauren Van Der Kamp (Sacramento, Calif./Rosemont) singled in a run in the fifth before Kristen Oddo (Brooklyn, N.Y./James Madison), who walked earlier in the inning, scored on a fielder's choice. A bases-loaded walk brought in Crown's 10th run of the game, 10-7. 

The Bears produced four runs on seven hits in the sixth inning, cutting the Polars' lead to 10-9 with one out. Van Der Kamp's base knock scored Audrey Scott (Rocklin, Calif./Whitney) to tie the game. She scored the game-winning run on Trani's single in the following at-bat.

For the Bears vs. Crown

• Heinsch led the way for the Bears going 4-for-5 with three runs scored.

• Van Der Kamp and Trani each went 3-for-4 with two RBI and scored a combined three runs.

• Trani registered two extra-base hits.

• Sofia Logreco (San Diego, Calif./Mission Hills) went 3-for-3 and scored a run. 

• Brianna Kilimet (Valley Stream, N.Y./Sacred Heart Academy) brought in a pair of runs, going 1-for-2.

• Poppet struck out four in three innings in the circle.

• Brooke Horn (Lakeside, Calif./El Capitan), credited with the win, tossed four innings and struck out seven.

How it Happened vs. Wisconsin-Superior

The Yellowjackets scored early in the first before Bears starter Leila Heller (Belle Chasse, La./Belle Chasse) kept them off the board over the next two innings. Wisconsin-Superior added a run in the top of the fourth before Scott's RBI single cut the deficit in half. The Yellowjackets went on to have a three-run fifth inning and a two-run sixth to distance themselves from the Bears, winning 7-1.

For the Bears vs. Wisconsin-Superior

• Rookies Scott and Heller each had two hits.

• Van Der Kamp scored the lone run for the Bears.

• Heller went 4.1 innings on the circle and was dealt the defeat.