NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Fairmont State softball team (9-9) rallied and scored 12-straight runs and defeated Chowan (9-7) 14-6 in six innings before falling to Goldey Beacom (12-5) 14-4 in five innings on Tuesday (March 7) at Central Park in North Myrtle Beach, S.C.
 
Game One (Fairmont State 14, Chowan 6 – 6 inn.)
The Hawks tallied six runs in the first three innings of play from a three-run home run, an RBI groundout and two RBI singles. Fairmont State whittled away at the Chowan lead with two runs in the fifth inning. Bella Hess scored Mackenzie Maddy with an RBI triple and Hannah Workman scored Hess with a single on the next at-bat to put the Falcons within four runs.
 
The Fairmont State offense took off in the bottom of the sixth. Gia Woods pinch hit and delivered a base hit down the left field line to start the Fairmont State rally. Jordan Novak knocked a hit up the middle and kept the momentum rolling. With two runners on, Peyton Wetherholt lofted a three-run home run to left field and the Falcons were within one run of the Hawks.
 
After a Courtney Moyer hit, Isabella Yelle tied the game with a pinch-hit double to the gap that scored Moyer. Judeah Morris made it six-consecutive knocks and singled to third base to put Yelle at third. The Hawks committed an error and the Falcons had the bases loaded with no one out. After a line out, Yelle scampered home on a wild pitch to give Fairmont State the lead. Reigning MEC Player of the Week Emily Riggs smashed a home run on the next pitch and the Fairmont State lead grew to four.
 
With a runner on, Novak punched her second hit of the inning. Wetherholt walked and loaded the bases for the Falcons. With two outs, the Hawks made a fielding error and two Falcons scored to make it 12-6. Wetherholt scored on a wild pitch to give the Falcons a seven-run cushion. Yelle scored the winning run after Chowan threw the ball away on a steal by Morris. Fairmont State won in a run-rule, 14-6 in six innings.
 
Hess, Workman, Novak and Wetherholt all finished with multi-hit games, with Wetherholt tallying two extra-base hits. Wetherholt and Riggs both swung for home runs while Yelle and Wetherholt had doubles and Hess swung for a triple. In the circle, Ashley Strauss pitched 3.2 shutout innings and allowed just one hit while striking out five. Strauss picked up her first win of the season.
 
Game Two: Goldey-Beacom 14, Fairmont State 4 (5 inn.)
Abbie Keilholz evened the score at one with a towering home run to left center field in the top of the second inning. Goldey-Beacom regained the lead in the bottom half of the inning to go up 2-1. The Lightening put up 12 runs in the bottom of the third inning and capitalized on three Fairmont State errors to take a commanding lead.
 
Novak's big day at the plate continued with an RBI single to center field that scored Wetherholt in the fourth inning. Riggs blasted her second home run of the day in the bottom of the fifth inning that scored Hess. The Lightening won in five innings by a score of 14-4.
 
Hess and Wetherholt both racked up multi-hit games. Workman and Myaih Cloud also finished with hits for the Falcons. Jordan Popowski threw 1.2 innings and did not surrender an earned run out of the bullpen.

Up Next
The Fairmont State softball team will conclude its Myrtle Beach trip tomorrow (March 8) with game one versus Fitchburg State at 11 a.m. and game two versus Madonna (Mich.) at 3 p.m.