Little River, SC – Sarah Balcom had five hits on the day including going a perfect 4-for-4 in the nightcap but the SUNY Canton softball team dropped a pair of games to Penn State Altoona and Franciscan closing out their spring break trip in Myrtle Beach on Friday.

THE BASICS

• Result: Game 1: Penn State Altoona 10, SUNY Canton 3 (7 INN.) | Game 2: Franciscan 16, SUNY Canton 8 (5 INN.)
• Location: North Myrtle Beach Sports Complex – Little River, SC
• Records: SUNY Canton (0-8) | Penn State Altoona (6-5) | Franciscan (2-4)

HOW IT HAPPENED
 
GAME 1 – BOX SCORE

• The Roos got out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning of Friday's opener as Torie Moore led off with a single up the middle. Bella Betancur laid down a sacrifice bunt and with some aggressive base running Moore was able to move all the way to third. That proved crucial as Jordyn Tarbox drove her in on a sacrifice fly to center.
• Penn State Altoona responded with five runs on six hits in the bottom of the first on a pair of RBI singles, a two RBI double and a sac fly.
• The Lions added one run each in the second and third innings to open a 7-1 lead headed to the fourth.
• The Roos got one run each back in the fifth and sixth innings to get within 7-3 midway through the sixth.
• Rylin Martin-McIntyre scored on a passed ball in the fifth after leading off the inning with a single to left field and moving over to second on a ground out and to third on a stolen base.
• Moore legged out an infield single to lead off the sixth, stole second and advanced to third on a ground out. Sarah Balcom singled up the middle with two outs to score Moore.
• The Lions sealed the win with three runs in the bottom half of the sixth earning the 10-3 victory.
• Moore went 2-for-3 with two runs, while Balcom, Martin-McIntyre and Ace Rogers had one hit each.
• Alyssa Fisher and Allison Beeman registered two hits and two RBI each for Altoona, while Gianna Hoppel and Hanna Lauck recorded a hit and two RBI each.
• Sidney Nihart picked up the win tossing four innings giving up one earned run with three strikeouts in relief. Madalyn Maynard got the start allowing one earned run with four strikeouts but fell just one inning short of the required innings for a starter to earn the win.
• Maggi Yandoh took the loss allowing five earned runs with a walk in a third of an inning. Rogers threw the final 5.2 innings surrendering five earned runs with three walks and a strike out.

 
GAME 2 – BOX SCORE

• The Roos jumped out to a two run lead in the top of the first when Betancur scored Moore on an RBI single and Ava Hayes walked in Betancur.
• The Barons answered with three runs in the bottom of the first before Canton tied things at three in the top of the second when Martin-McIntyre scored on a wild pitch.
• Franciscan took the lead for good with five unearned runs in the bottom of the inning on three hits and three errors.
• Canton scored three times in the fourth with Balcom plating Betancur on an RBI single, Hayes scored Tarbox on a ground out and Maggi Yandoh brought Balcom across on a sacrifice fly.
• The Barons extended their lead to 13-6 with five runs in the bottom of the fourth.
• The Roos tacked on two runs in the sixth when Yandoh brought home Balcom on a single and Yandoh later scored on a Rogers single.
• Franciscan added three runs in the bottom of the sixth for the 16-8 final.
• Balcom led the Roos going a perfect 4-for-4 with two runs and an RBI, while Yandoh was 2-for-3 with a run and two RBI. Rogers also had a pair of hits and drove in a run, Hayes had two RBI and Betancur finished with a hit, two runs, two walks and an RBI.
• Janey Winner led the Barons going 4-for-5 with three runs, while Emma Davis and Elizabeth Maxwell recorded three hits each.
• Hayley Cook picked up the win for Franciscan tossing a complete game giving up six earned runs with five strike outs and six walks.
• Rogers took the loss allowing 16 runs, only eight of which were earned, with two strikeouts and two walks.

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
This closes out the Roos spring break trip to Myrtle Beach. The team is scheduled to be back in action next Friday (3/21) when they visit Houghton for a doubleheader at 3 p.m.
   

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