More than two weeks after its last game, the Point Park softball team split its home season opener series against Carlow University last Saturday. 

The game came 15 days after the Pioneers’ last competition at a tournament in Kentucky. With the weather finally clearing up, Point Park fell just short of winning the first contest against its crosstown rival.

Point Park was unable to muster much of an offensive push in the first game. Carlow pitcher Abby Stroud went the distance, pitching seven full innings and only allowing five hits and one earned run. The game was scoreless until the fifth inning when the Celtics got two runs off a two-run homerun. Point Park battled back in the bottom of the seventh inning, loading the bases. 

Sophomore third baseman Amber Cook hit a one-out single, which was quickly followed by another single by junior infielder Brittany Zeigler. The Pioneers got another runner on base with a walk and were able to score after senior center fielder Alyssa McMurtrie hit a sacrifice fly. However, the Celtics then turned the next ground ball into a double play, ending the game at 2-1.

Junior pitcher Tiffany Edwards pitched the entire game for the Pioneers. Edwards only gave up four hits including the home run, and struck out three.

In the second contest, the Pioneers did something it hasn’t done much of this season; start the game slow. The story of the Pioneers’ season thus far has been coming out hot and struggling to finish games, but this game was the opposite.

Carlow jumped out to a 4-0 lead after two and a half innings. However, the Pioneers turned the game around in the bottom of the fourth inning. Zeigler started out with a hit that turned into a two-base hit after a Carlow outfielder bobbled the ball. McMurtrie drew a walk that was followed by a double from sophomore second basemen Courtney Blocher. The hit brought Zeigler to home plate. 

Edwards then came in to pinch hit for the Pioneers, and hit a ground ball, allowing McMurtrie to make her way across home plate. With the score at 4-2 in Carlow’s favor, the Pioneers drew two consecutive walks that scored another run. 

The inning continued with a two-out double from Cook that scored three runs, and bought the Pioneers in front 6-4. That was all that sophomore pitcher Katie Tarr needed to finish the game. Tarr came in to relieve junior Ashley Iagnemma in the top of the fifth inning. She struck out eight of the nine batters she faced and earned a save. 

The Pioneers are home again this weekend on Friday against Brescia University and Saturday against Indiana University Southeast.