MYTLE BEACH (Sc.)---The Delaware Valley softball team played a pair of one-run games on Thursday on their final day of their spring break trip in Myrtle Beach. The Aggies defeated Gwynedd Mercy 5-4 on a walk-off error of the bat of Sierra Ripka before dropping a 3-2 battle to Ursinus in the nightcap on a walk-off single.
GAME ONE
After Kenzie Boyd pitched a scoreless top of the first, the Aggies (3-3-1) came out hot as Carly Mahal and Sierra Ripka led of the game with back-to-back singles. Maddie Donnelly then stepped to the plate and after fouling off a handful of pitches, ripped a two-run double to left field to give DelVal a 2-0 lead.
With score remaining 2-0 into the third, Gwynedd Mercy (6-1) scored a run in the top of the third off an error to cut the lead in half.
In the top of the fifth, the Griffins took their first lead of the game on a two-run double to go ahead 3-2. They added on to that lead on a double error with two outs, giving them a 4-2 lead after four and a half innings.
In the bottom of the fifth, Sierra Ripka hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Olivia Spofford, bringing the Aggies to within one at 4-3.
Kenzie Boyd kept the Griffins off the board in the sixth and seventh innings, bringing the Aggies to the plate for one last chance. Spofford led of with a walk and Carly Mahal followed with an RBI double to left field to score Spofford, tying the game at 4-4. Sierra Ripka then came to the plate and flied a ball to center field that was dropped, allowing Mahal to score from second and give DelVal the 5-4 win.
Sierra Ripka and Carly Mahal each had two hits while Mahal scored two runs. Madison Donnelly drove in two runs for the Aggies.
GAME TWO
Ursinus (9-1) got the scoring started in the bottom of the first with an RBI infield single to give the Bears a 1-0 lead.
In the top of the third, Tori Bockrath came to the plate with the bases loaded and one out. The first-year grounded a ball to short, scoring a run from third. The second baseman tripped, but was able to tag out the runner going from first to second. During that process, Sierra Ripka hustled home from second to give the Aggies (3-4-1) a 2-1 lead.
Ursinus answered in the bottom of the third on an RBI groundout, evening the score at 2-2.
The score remained tied heading into the bottom of the seventh when Ursinus put a runner on second with nobody out. The Aggies got back-to-back outs, but the Bears came through with a two-out single up the middle to walk it off.
Madison Donnelly, Kenzie Boyd and Olivia Rexrode each had two hits for DelVal.
The Aggies will return back to Pennsylvania for a doubleheader against Immaculata on Thursday, March 16th at home at 3 p.m.
