NORTH CANTON, Ohio - The Walsh Cavaliers softball team played six games in South Carolina over the last three days against three different opponents. First, Walsh took on the Erskine Flying Fleet on Saturday (March 6) in Due West. Sunday (March 7) afternoon saw the Cavaliers battle with the Lander Bearcats in Greenwood before heading to Anderson to take on the Anderson Trojans on Monday (March 8). 

Walsh returns to Ohio with a 3-3 record on the trip and 3-5 on the young season.

Saturday 3/7 at Erskine

Game 1 (L, 13-5 in 6 innings)

• After Erskine took a 1-0 lead in the 2nd, Katelyn Loughman put Walsh up 3-1 on a three-run homer in the 4th inning. The Flying Fleet answered with six runs in the next two innings for a 7-3 lead after five innings. Jessie Rock closed the gap to 7-5 on a two-run blast in the top of the sixth. Erskine scored six runs in the bottom of the sixth, ending the game at 13-5.
• Loughman had two hits and three RBI while Rock tallied one hit with two RBI in the game. Ellie Jackson had the other Walsh hit. Emma Bobey scored two runs as she reached base on two Flying Fleet errors. 

Game 2 (W, 8-3)

• Walsh used two big innings to down the Flying Fleet in the second game. In a five-run second frame, Sophia Slack plated one run on a RBI single before three runs scored on a Sarah Moats single. Bryn Elliott capped the inning with a sacrifice fly as Walsh led 5-0. Erskine scored one run in the bottom of the second for a 5-1 score. Slack came back with a two-run double in a three-run fifth inning and Loughman doubled home a run as Walsh was out in front 8-1. Erskine closed the scoring with two runs in the seventh but the Cavaliers forced a split with an 8-3 win. 
• Elliott, Rock, Loughman and Slack all had two hits in the game while seven different players scored runs in the game. Slack led the way with three RBI with Moats accounting for two RBI. 
• Sara Gockenbach tossed a complete game with three runs allowed on six hits. She walked four and fanned eight batters. 

Sunday 3/8 at Lander

Game 1 (L, 7-2)

• Walsh scored first on a fielder's choice from Rock in the first inning. Lander took the 2-1 lead in the second inning before Moats tied the game with a solo blast in the third inning. The Bearcats scored five runs between the fourth and sixth innings, accounting for the 7-2 final score. 
• Bobey had two hits in the game as six players tallied hits. Moats scored both runs while driving in one of the two runs. 

Game 2 (W, 8-3)

• Jackson gave Walsh the lead in the third inning on a solo blast. One inning later, Ashley Zgodzinski doubled home Elliott for a 2-0 lead. McKenna Voiers joined the boom squad with a three-run home run in the fifth inning, giving Walsh a 5-0 lead. Lander clawed back with two runs in the fifth inning but Walsh had an answer again. Moats plated a run and Riley Grimm doubled home two runners, totaling a three-run sixth inning. The Bearcats closed the game with a run in the seventh as they fell 8-3 to the Cavaliers. 
• Bobey reached base four times on a three-for-three day with one walk. Grimm went two-of-four with two RBI as Walsh totaled four extra-base hits (two homers and two doubles).
• Gockenbach threw her second straight complete game with three runs (two earned) allowed on five hits. She walked four and struck out six batters as she improved to 2-0.

Monday 3/8 at Anderson

Game 1 (W, 5-1)

• Anderson drew first blood with a run in the third inning. In a four-run fourth, Bobey tied the game with a RBI single. Cali Frascone put Walsh up 2-1 on an error before Slack doubled in a pair for a 4-1 Walsh lead. Voiers hit a solo blast in the seventh as Walsh won 5-1. 
• Jackson and Slack each had a double while Voiers homered. Walsh had five hits for the game and three for extra bases. Five different players each scored and tallied hits.
• For the third straight start, Gockenbach went the distance as she twirled seven innings of one-run ball. The right-hander scattered three hits and four walks while earning two strikeouts. 

Game 2 (L, 8-0 in 6 innings)

• Anderson scored in five of the six innings as they held Walsh to two baserunners in the game. The Trojans scored one run in the first, three in the third, two in the fourth and one in each the fifth and sixth innings. 
• Bobey doubled and Jessica Varnis walked as the only Cavaliers to reach base in the nightcap.

Walsh will host Kentucky State on Wednesday (March 10) at 1:00 and 3:00 PM at home. 

-WC-