The softball team split their doubleheader with Erie CC on Sunday afternoon at home, falling to the Kats in game one 8-2, and hanging on for the win in the second game, 5-4. Errors by the Hornets, 5 in all, and hitting up and down the Kats lineup determined the outcome of the Region III contest at BAGSAI. Erie totaled 11 hits, led by Morgan Ryerse's 3-hit performance. Broome was led by Mikayla Garbarino and Madison Lapinski wth two hits apiece including a long ball over the left-center fence by Garbarino.
Unlike game one, the Hornets turned in gem of a defensive game to hang on for the win. Erie jumped out to 2-0 lead at the end of one only to be tied at 2-2 in the top of the second by Broome. The Hornets held their opponent scoreless for the next five innings while they added runs in the third, fifth and top of the seventh, and a 5-2 lead going into the bottom of the inning. The Kats scored 2 runs on a single from Olivia Domiano to bring Erie within a run. Any hopes of sending the game into extra innings ended with, arguably, the best defensive play of the day. With the tying run on second, Erie hit a line-shot back to pitcher Keyairra Woolfolk who quickly spun and threw back to shortstop Laurel Perenesky-Currier covering second for the game ending double play. Broome was led by McKenna Wheaton with 3 hits and an RBI and Abby Mancini with 2 doubles and 3 RBIs. Courtney George's hit plated another run on her hit.
The Hornets improve to 3-3 in Region III while the Kats fall to 5-1. Up next is another doubleheader at the BAGSAI Sports Complex this Wednesday with the first pitch scheduled for 3:00 P.M.