Softball wins first game of Hilbert doubleheader 10-6

ELISHA VALLADARES-CORMIER
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

First base Ashley Kondracki slugged two home runs to back the pitching efforts of Amanda Pulice and Andi Queen, as the Franciscan University softball team beat the Hilbert Hawks 10-6 Saturday.

Kondracki opened the scoring in the first inning, when she was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, allowing second base Allyson Weiss to score. Third base Anna Ames followed with a sacrifice fly to center, driving in another run to give the Lady Barons a quick 2-0 lead.

Franciscan pushed its lead to 5-0 in the third inning, when Kondracki hit a home run to score right fielder Kathleen Thompson. Catcher Kayla Anderson then reached on an error by Hawks right fielder Maia Delaney and reached third before coming home on Ames’ single to left field.

Starting pitcher Pulice held the Hawks to two hits, before Hilbert exploded for four unearned runs in the fifth. After Melanie Basile reached on an error by Weiss to lead off the inning, the Hawks took advantage of a combination of walks, singles and an error by shortstop Denise Carrazc, to come within a run of Franciscan.

That would be as close as Hilbert would get, however, as Kondracki and Ames both connected for home runs in the bottom of the fifth, making the score 7-4. Kondracki drove in two more runs in the sixth for a total of six RBIs in the game, and Anderson drove in another to bring the score to 10-4 heading into the final inning.

Queen, who came in relief of Pulice during Hilbert’s fifth inning rally, gave up two runs in the top of the seventh, making the score 10-6. The Hawks continued to threaten and loaded the bases with only one out, bringing the tying run to the plate twice before Queen quelled the threat. She retired the last two batters and sealed the win, their ninth of the year.

The Lady Barons would not be as lucky in the second game of the doubleheader, as Hilbert beat them 7-3. Franciscan’s record sits at 9-9 overall and 3-5 in AMCC conference play, leaving them in sixth, just behind Hilbert in the conference standings.

The Franciscan softball team’s next home game is slated for April 30, a doubleheader against Pitt.-Bradford beginning at 3 p.m.