Utica builds 7-0 lead en route to 7-5 victory over McDaniel

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Bridgette Plummer went 3-for-3 with two runs scored to lead Utica to a 7-5 victory over McDaniel in non-conference softball action at the Rebel Spring Games on Monday.

Rachel Sidney (East Meadow, N.Y./East Meadow) recorded two of the eight hits for the Green Terror (3-2), who scored five runs in the top of the seventh innings but stranded the potential tying run at the plate.

The Pioneers (3-1) built a seven run lead heading into the seventh inning keyed by a four-run second.

With one out in the bottom of the second, Kristie Jones drew a walk before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt.

A Rebecca Ornstein single played Jones for a 1-0 lead before a Kim Martin triple doubled the advantage.

A two-out error allowed Martin to score before a Plummer walk and Mallory Ingalls RBI single pushed the lead to 4-0.

Dboules from Martin and Hannah Barton coupled with a Plummer single and Ingalls sacrifice fly accounted for a pair of fourth-inning runs to make it a 6-0 lead for Utica.

A Plummer double and Barton RBI single in the sixth stretched the lead to 7-0.

A Jasmine McCormick (Antioch, Calif./Holy Name) pinch-hit single led off the Green Terror seventh.

Erinne Warrenfeltz (Smithsburg, Md./Middletown) followed with a double to put runners at second and third before yielding to pinch-runner Laura Mertz (Gillette, N.J./Watchung Hills).

A Megan Elfert (Finksburg, Md./Westminster) single plated McCormick to break up the shutout.

Tracy Davis (Christiansburg, Va./Christiansburg) followed with an RBI single of her own, chasing Utica starter Heather Kingsburg.

Back-to-back errors loaded the bases and allowed Elfert to score to make it a 7-3 game.

After a strikeout, an Ashley Crawford (New Market, Md./Linganore) sacrifice fly allowed two runs to score, closing the deficit to 7-5 with a runner on second.

Haley Butler, on in relief of Kingsbury, got a ground ball to earn her first save of the season.

McDaniel returns to action against Geneva at 3 p.m.

Score by Inning                           1    2    3    4    5    6    7    -     R   H   E
McDaniel (3-2)                              0    0    0    0    0    0    5    -     5    8    1
Utica (3-1)                                     0    4    0    2    0    1    x    -     7    12  2

Kaitlyn Vadenais, Ashley Meister (5) and Tracy Davis; Heather Kingsbury, Haley Butler (7) and Mallory Ingalls. WP: Kingsbury (2-0). LP: Vadenais (0-2). S: Butler (1). SO-BB: Vadenais 0-2, Meister 0-1; Kingsbury 2-6, Butler 1-0.

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