Softball: ELCO Stuns Ephrata with 10-Run Seventh

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ELCO Stuns Ephrata with 10-Run Seventh

Coming off a big win over Conestoga Valley on Thursday, ELCO took to the road again Friday and found itself in the middle of another wild one. This time, the Raiders did enough at the plate to outlast Ephrata, piling up 16 hits in a 19-14 victory over the Mountaineers.

ELCO got on the board in the top of the 1st after Ephrata committed an error and Mallorie Bossler followed with an RBI single to center, helping the Raiders grab an early 2-0 lead.

The Raiders then broke things open in the 2nd, scoring 5 runs on 4 hits. Makayla Noll tripled home 2 runs, Kylie Cruzfollowed with an RBI triple, Justine Geyer drew a bases-loaded walk, and ELCO also stole home during the inning to build a 7-1 advantage.

Ephrata chipped away and eventually pulled even in the bottom of the 4th, tying the game at 9-9 with the help of 3 ELCO errors. The Mountaineers then moved in front 11-9 in the 6th after a groundout by Emily Ludwig and another Raider error brought home 2 runs.

Trailing by 2 runs going into their final at-bat, ELCO answered in a big way in the top of the 7th, erupting for 10 runs on 6 hits to flip the game back in its favor. The biggest swing of the inning came off the bat of Geyer, who launched a 3-run homer to center as part of a huge day at the plate.

Geyer led the way for ELCO, driving in 6 runs on 4 hits. She doubled home 2 runs in the 4th, drew a run-scoring walk in the 2nd, belted the 3-run homer in the 7th, and later doubled in another run during the same inning.

Both offenses were strong throughout the evening. ELCO finished with 16 hits, while Ephrata answered with 15 of its own in the high-scoring affair. Cruz, Layla Werner, Bossler, and Chloe Shirk each had multi-hit games for the Raiders, while the lineup also showed patience with 12 walks. Noll, Werner, Emma Fisher, and Kenzie Deeks each drew 2 walks, while Shirk stole 3 bases as ELCO finished with 6 steals.

Deeks earned the win in the circle for the Raiders, going all 7 innings. She allowed 15 hits and 14 runs, 6 earned, while striking out 10 and walking 2. Lexi Palmer started for Ephrata and gave up 6 hits and 7 runs in 1.1 innings, striking out 1 and walking 2.

Ephrata also had plenty of production offensively. Aldynne Snyder went 3-5 to lead the Mountaineers in hits, while Piper Rudy, Kylee Dunlap, Liv Sensenig, Olivia Kramer, and Emma Showalter all had multi-hit performances. Showalter also stole 3 bases as Ephrata totaled 4 steals.

ELCO is now 5-1 and will look to tack another victory onto the win column when they travel to Lebanon on Monday.

ELCO 19, Ephrata 14

ELCO Leaders

Makayla Noll: 1-3, 4 R, 1 H, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 3B
Kylie Cruz: 3-5, 3 R, 3 H, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 3B
Chloe Shirk: 3-6, 3 R, 3 H, 3 RBI
Justine Geyer: 2-5, 2 R, 4 RBI, 1 BB, 2 2B
Kenzie Deeks: 1-2, 1 R, 1 H, 2 BB
Mallorie Bossler: 2-5, 1 R, 2 H, 1 RBI, 2B
Layla Werner: 2-2, 2 R, 2 H, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 3B

ELCO Pitching
Kenzie Deeks: 7.0 IP, 15 H, 14 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 10 K

Ephrata Leaders

Kylee Dunlap: 2-5, 2 R, 1 RBI, 2B
Aldynne Snyder: 3-5, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2 2B
Macy Banks: 1-4, 1 R, 1 RBI
Piper Rudy: 2-4, 2 R, 2 2B
Emily Ludwig: 1-4, 1 R, 2 RBI, 2B
Liv Sensenig: 2-5, 2 R, 1 RBI, 2B
Olivia Kramer: 2-4, 2 R, 1 BB
Emma Showalter: 2-4, 2 R, 1 RBI, SB

Ephrata Pitching
Lexi Palmer: 1.1 IP, 6 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Emily Ludwig: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 7 BB, 2 K
Brook Powell: 0.0 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
Jaelynn Bauder: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 0 K