CHESTERTOWN, Md. - Stevenson softball junior Kristen Mueller extended her hitting streak to nine games as the Mustangs seventh inning rallies fell short in a non-conference doubleheader loss versus Washington (Md.) Tuesday afternoon at the Washington College Softball Field.
The Mustangs (18-19), who have dropped three of their last four, dropped the first game 4-3 before falling 3-1 in game two.
After back-to-back hits to start the bottom of the second inning, the Shorewomen (16-18) would score the first run of the game on a fielding error before Stevenson turned its 10th double play of the season.
A two-out double by senior Stephanie Ayres in the next inning would score Mueller to tie the game at 1-1 before the Mustangs took a one-run lead in the fourth inning on an RBI single by sophomore Naomi Fields.
Washington (Md.) took advantage of two errors by the Mustangs in the bottom of the sixth inning as the hosts scored three runs, two unearned, to take a 4-2 lead. The Shorewomen threatened to extend the lead with runners on first and third and one out, but freshman Brooke Steinbach was able to get two of the next three batters to ground out.
With runners on first and third and one out in the top of the seventh inning, junior Kaitlyn Seger hit a sacrifice fly to score Steinbach to cut Stevenson's deficit to one. However, the Mustangs could not rally to tie the game, dropping their seventh one-run game this season.
With two stolen bases in the game and three for the day, Mueller now holds the school record with 44 stolen bases in her three-year career. She is a perfect 17-for-17 on stolen base attempts this season.
Ayres, who finished the game 2-for-4 for her sixth multi-hit game of the season, led seven different players to total a hit.
A three-run homer by the Shorewomen with two outs in the first inning of game two proved to be all Washington (Md.) needed as the Mustangs seventh-inning rally fell short again.
Seger hit an RBI single to score Stevenson's lone run with one out. Mueller and freshman Tiffany McKee pulled off a double steal to put runners on second and third with one out but the Mustangs could not bring them home. The Mustangs were 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
Mueller totaled her 10th multi-hit game of the season as she went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Stevenson returns to action on Friday, May 1 when the third-seeded Mustangs face second-seeded Widener beginning at 12:00 p.m. All Comomonwealth Conference playoff games will be held at Lebanon Valley's LVC Softball Park. For directions, click here.
