The Malone College softball team won both games of its American Mideast Conference North Division doubleheader against Ursuline College on Thursday evening, taking the opener 5-3 and the nightcap 8-4.  The Pioneers used late scoring outbursts in each of the contests to notch the pair of home victories.  Malone entered the bottom of the fifth in game one trailing 3-1, but then plated four runs over the final two innings to tally the 5-3, come-from-behind win.  In game two, the Pioneers were clinging to a one-run lead before they scored three times in the bottom of the sixth to pull away for the 8-4 triumph.  Sophomore outfielder Laura Blackburn (Thomas Worthington H.S.) came up big in the sixth inning of both games as she delivered a pair of clutch, two-run doubles.  Malone received two strong pitching performances on the afternoon as junior Ashleigh Ralston (Wadsworth H.S.) and freshman Jessica Krska (Norton H.S.) each went the distance on the mound in their respective game without allowing an earned run. Following the doubleheader sweep, Malone’s record now stands at 8-6 overall with a 2-4 mark in the AMC North.

 

Ralston started game one, earning her fourth win of the season (4-3) after giving up three unearned runs on eight hits over seven innings pitched.  Ralston struck out three while walking one.  Blackburn, sophomore outfielder Morgan Heacock (Mt. Gilead H.S.), and freshman catcher Laura Ronk (St. Vincent-St. Mary H.S.) each notched two hits in the contest with one stolen base apiece.

 

Krska picked up her third victory of the year (3-1) in the finale after limiting Ursuline (1-7 overall, 0-4 AMC North) to four unearned runs on five hits while striking out three and walking one.  The Pioneers recorded a season-high 14 hits in the game as freshman infielder Sarah Kosmos (Northwest H.S.) went 4-4 with three runs scored.