Softball Races Past Northern Vermont-Johnson in Season Opener; Hanover Slips Past Bears in Nightcap

CLERMONT, Fla. — Senior pitcher Madison Erhardt (Baltimore, Md./Delaney) spun a complete-game one-hitter as the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) softball team (1-0) shutout Northern Vermont University-Johnson, 15-0, on Wednesday in their 2020 season opener at The Spring Games in Clermont, Florida. The Bears took an early lead in their nightcap with Hanover College, but were edged 5-4 to split their opening day.

Sophomore Alexis Buchanan (Murrieta, Calif./Murrieta) batted 6-for-8 on the day while classmate Ashleigh Hartwig (Santee, Calif./West Hills) drove in four runs with four hits to lead the Bears at the plate.

How It Happened vs. NVU-Johnson

Freshman Sierra Bedrin (Rocklin, Calif./Whitney) led off the game with her first career home run giving the Bears an early 1-0 lead and classmate Isabella Calabrese (Smithtown, N.Y./Hauppauge) also picked up her first collegiate hit in the first but the Badgers limited SJC to just one run. NVU then doubled to open their half of the first, but that was the only hit Erhardt allowed all game as she retired the next three batters.

SJC opened things up in the top of the second beginning with a single, on-by-error, and walk to load the bases. Then, rookie Emily Burroughs (Escondido, Calif./San Pasqual) singled for her first career hit and a pair of RBI. Reigning Skyline Player of the Year Hartwig followed with two more RBI on a single to center to build a 5-0 edge. 

Two batters later, another of the Bears' eight freshman — Nicole Trani (Staten Island, N.Y./Moore Catholic) — roped a triple to left driving in two more runs and later scored on a passed ball to cap off a seven-run second for an 8-0 advantage after two. 

Neither side crossed home in a scoreless third, but St. Joseph's once again erupted in the fourth plating six runs behind RBI from Bedrin, Calabrese, Hartwig, and senior Jessica Vento (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa). Another tally in the fifth on an NVU error gave the Bears 15 for the game and Erhardt continued to shut down the Badgers lineup en route to a five-inning run-rule victory.

How it Happened vs. Hanover

In a game that was delayed three hours due to rain and played under the lights, the Bears struck first and scored three runs in the bottom of the second. After Buchanan knocked a leadoff single and Vento walked, both advanced to scoring position on a passed ball. Tomovich brought Buchanan home with a one-out grounder and the Bears pushed two more across with two outs. Hartwig drew a bases-loaded walk to score Vento and an error allowed Tomovich to trot home for a 3-0 advantage.

But Hanover quickly responded with three in their next at bat, the first two batters singling and walking to setting up Shelby Edington for a two-run triple to cut the Bears lead to one and Kiley Shedron lifted a sac fly to score Edington to knot the game at 3-all.

The game remained deadlocked until the sixth when Hanover plated a pair with Edington again delivering two-run double with the bases loaded, but the Bears defense cut down a runner at the plate on the play to remain within two, 5-3.  

St. Joseph's cut the deficit in half in the bottom half of the inning. Hartwig started a two-out rally with a double down the left field line and a ball-four wild pitch put runners on the corners. Trani beat out an infield single to score Hartwig, bringing the score to 5-4, but the Bears couldn't keep the rally going stranding two and failed to make any noise in the seventh going down in order.

For the Bears vs. NVU-Johnson

• Hartwig, Calabrese, and Buchanan all batted 3-for-4 with doubles to lead six different Bears with multi-hit games. Hartwig was the top run producer with three RBI and Calabrese also drove in a run. Buchanan had a pair of stolen bases and Hartwig swiped a base.
• Bedrin's homer highlighted a 2-for-3, three-RBI, two-run effort.
• Burroughs and Trani both drove in a pair of runs and knocked a hit; Trani's was a triple.
• Vento finished 2-for-3 and collected a RBI, two runs, and a double.
• Erhardt struck out five and walked one in the one-hit shutout.

For the Bears vs. Hanover

• Buchanan went 3-for-4 with a run scored.
• Hartwig knocked the lone extra-base hit with a double and finished 1-for-3 with a RBI.
• Trani went 1-for-4 with a RBI
• Bedrin allowed three runs over three innings in a no-decision in her first start and Jessica Mecham (West Jordan, Utah / Copper Hills) took the loss in relief surrendering a pair over four innings.

Next Up

The Bears continue an eight-game set at The Spring Games facing Capital University tomorrow at 10 a.m. followed by a second meeting with Northern Vermont-Johnson at 2:30 p.m.