GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Towson University softball team played two more games in the Pirate Clash hosted by East Carolina on Saturday. A pair of close contests saw Towson go into extra innings for the second and third times this weekend. However, both instances saw Towson fall to a walk-off single, first to James Madison then to hosts East Carolina.
 
Game 1: Towson 9, James Madison 10
Key Stats:

• Kaci Benton hit 2-3 with a homerun, two RBIs and two walks.
• Leah Mears had her first Towson extra base hit and RBI.
• Mackenzie Gorczyca had multiple hits and Taylor Broadbent had multiple RBIs.
• Mikaela Guy got her first career start for Towson and pitched 3.0 innings allowing seven hits and four runs. Olivia Trombley receives the loss after pitching 3.1 innings of relief and allowing seven hits and five runs.

 
How it Happened:

• Kaci Benton opened the scoring in the top of the 1^st with a solo homerun.
• A pair of Duke singles in the bottom of the frame led to an RBI fielder's choice tying the game at one.
• James Madison took a 2-1 lead after the 2^nd inning, but Grace Franczyk brought the score level with an RBI single in the 3^rd.
• A trio of homeruns gave James Madison a 6-2 lead entering the top of the 6^th.
• The first three Tigers all reached base in the 6^th and Alyssa Myint walked to score a run before a pinch-hitting Taylor Broadbent hit a two-run single to cut the deficit to one. A wild pitch allowed Myint to score the tying run before a single and another bases loaded walk capped off a six-run inning that saw Towson flip a 6-2 deficit into an 8-2 lead.
• The score held into the bottom of the 7^th when James Madison put two on with one out. A double and sacrifice fly tied things up at eight and the game entered extra innings.
• A sacrifice bunt made way for Leah Mears to hit an RBI double in the top of the 8^th to give Towson a 9-8 lead.
• A bunt single and stolen base put JMU runners on second and third with no outs. A sacrifice fly followed by an RBI single gave the Dukes a walk-off 10-9 win.

 
Game 2: Towson 3, East Carolina 4
Key Stats:

• Isabella Canesi hit her second homerun of the season.
• Grace Franczyk had two hits and two RBIs
• Kaci Benton hit two doubles.
• Amanda Medina got the start and pitched 5.1 innings allowing eight hits and three runs with two strikeouts. Mikaela Guy receives the loss after pitching 2.1 innings of relief and allowing two hits and one run.
• Julia Apostolakos earns the win for East Carolina after pitching two innings out of the bullpen. And allowing two hits and two runs.

How it Happened

• After a scoreless 1^st, the Pirates opened the scoring with a 2^nd inning solo homerun.
• Isabella Canesi responded with a solo shot of her own to tie the game in the 4^th inning.
• Amanda Medina kept East Carolina off the board in four of the first five innings.
• Kaci Benton and Grace Franczyk led off the 5^th with back-to-back hits but the Tigers couldn't take the lead.
• East Carolina broke the tie with a two-run homerun in the bottom of the 6^th.
• Kinsley Peek walked to lead off the 7^th inning and Benton doubled to put runners on second and third for Franczyk who hit a double of her own to tie the game 3-3. The Tigers loaded the bases with one out but a pair of shallow flyouts ended the inning with the game tied.
• Mikaela Guy worked through a two-out single to send the game to send the Tigers and Pirates to extra innings for the second time in as many days.
• The Tigers bunted over the automatic runner to start the 8^th inning but failed to bring the runner home.
• A hit batter between a pair of groundouts put runners on second and third in the 8^th for East Carolina and a walk-off single gave the Pirates a 4-3 extra innings win.

 
Up Next:
Sunday sees the Tigers play one more game in the Pirate Clash, Towson faces a 10 a.m. matchup against St. Bonaventure.