Ravens Battles Past Tigers in Sweep

The Anderson University softball team battled past Wittenberg University with a sweep during Monday's doubleheader in Raven Softball Field.

Anderson (6-16) rolled past Wittenberg (6-19) by a score of 9-1 in five innings in Game 1. The Ravens then fought past the Tigers 9-6 in Game 2.

Molly Buck went 6-for-7 with two home runs and eight RBI's during the doubleheader.

COACH TONY HOLLOWAY'S COMMENTS

• It was a good day for us all around. In the first game, we got a 9-1 win, which shows that our bats are starting to come alive.
• With the first game being a five-inning game, Lexi Rankin didn't need to hold on in the circle as long. It's the first time I can actually say that we've really thrown our bats and put away a game in five.
• Faith Muterspaugh had a big blow of the bat with the grand slam.
• We were up 6-1 in the bottom of the fourth. I told our team "let's put three runs on the board and see if they can score." We got the three runs and it was game over.
• Game 2 was a Molly Buck show. She threw really well. Wittenberg got six runs, but only one was earned. At the plate, Molly couldn't have swung the bat too much better. Even when she didn't hit the ball out [of the park], she hit the ball hard.
• Alayna Hart changes the game in the leadoff position. She can single, she can double, she tripled [on Monday] and I'm not so sure that she won't hit one out of here before too long.
• We got a squeeze bunt down with our catcher Hope Smith. Most catchers are hitters, they aren't bunters. Their catcher went out to pick the ball up. She couldn't get back to home and couldn't get the throw to first. It was just a perfect squeeze for us and those are the things we are doing.
• We are still making some young mistakes, but [on Monday] we survived them.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Anderson has hit .309 in the last nine games, boosting the season batting average from .234 to .269.
• In Game 1, Anderson plated six runs in the first inning with the help of a grand slam from Faith Muterspaugh.
• In Game 1, the Ravens added three more runs in the bottom of the fourth behind a two-run single from Molly Buck and a squeeze bunt RBI single from Hope Smith.
• The Ravens scored first in Game 2 with an RBI single in the first from Buck.
• After the Tigers scored two runs in the top of the third, Buck rebutted with a two-run blast in the bottom half of the inning.
• Wittenberg strung together four runs in the fourth to take a 6-3 lead.
• Anderson trimmed the lead to one run in the bottom half of the inning behind an RBI triple from Alayna Hart and an RBI double from Jayden Brown.
• During the sixth, Brown doubled in a run to tie the game at 6-6. Buck then crushed a three-run homer to put Anderson ahead 9-6.

GAME 1: ANDERSON 9, WITTENBERG 1 (F/5)

• The Ravens outhit the Tigers 8-5.
• Faith Muterspaugh – Grand Slam
• Lexi Rankin – Win (5-5), 5 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 K
• Molly Buck – 2-for-3, Two-Run Single
• Alayna Hart – 2-for-3, Double, 2 Runs
• Hope Smith – Single, 2 RBI's
• Jayden Brown – Double, 2 Runs
• Maddie Schoenradt – RBI Single

GAME 2: ANDERSON 9, WITTENBERG 6

• The Ravens outhit the Tigers 15-9.
• Wittenberg capitalized on three Anderson errors to score five unearned runs.
• Molly Buck (Hitting) – 4-for-4, 2 Homers, 6 RBI's
• Molly Buck (Pitching) – Win (1-8), 7 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• Jayden Brown – 4-for-4, 2 RBI Doubles, 2 Runs
• Alayna Hart – 2-for-4, RBI Triple, 2 Runs
• Kylie Sloan – 2-for-3
• Hope Smith – Single
• Faith Muterspaugh – Single
• Maddie Schoenradt – Single

UP NEXT

The Ravens, which are 1-3 in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) play, face off with Hanover College (11-17, 3-3) on Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Raven Softball Field.