Cooper's First Collegiate HR Ignites Four-Run Sixth Inning To Complete Comeback In Game Two

CHESTERTOWN, MD – Freshman Kristin Cooper's (Georgetown, DE/Sussex Central) first collegiate home run ignited a four-run bottom of the sixth in game two to turn a 5-2 deficit into a 6-5 lead as host Washington College rallied to top visiting Stevenson, 6-5, in the nightcap of a non-conference softball doubleheader at Washington College Softball Field.  The Mustangs (8-10) downed the Shorewomen (8-7) in the first game by a 5-1 score. 

In game two, Stevenson led 5-2 entering the bottom of the sixth when the Shorewomen scored four times to take the lead.  Junior Shaelan Nottingham (Ocean City, MD/Stephen Decatur) began the frame with a double to centerfield and scored on Cooper's home run over the left field wall to trim the visitors' lead to 5-4.  After Cooper, senior Sally Snover (Charlotte, NC/Myers Park) socked a double to right field.  Snover would score two batters later when freshman Kelsey Graham (Dunkirk, MD/Northern) singled to center and the game was knotted at 5-5.  Graham would score on a single up the middle by sophomore Kylie Nottingham (Ocean City, MD/Stephen Decatur) to put WC up 6-5.  The Mustangs got one runner on base in the top of the seventh, but could do nothing with it as Sara DiMeglio's flyball to left was grabbed by Graham to end the game at the edge of the warning track.

The Mustangs scored one run in the top of the third to take a 1-0 lead on a two-out single to shallow left by Kristin Urban that plated Kristin Baione from third.  In the top of the fifth, the Mustangs scored four times to grab a 5-0 lead.  Stephanie Ayres scored on a single up the middle by Lindsay Kuczak to make it 2-0 and Urban scored on a Lisa Bilski single through the left side to make it 3-0.  Bilski scored on a two-base hit to the right-center field gap by Kristen Fassler to push the lead to 4-0 and Fassler scored on a sacrifice fly to left off the bat of DiMeglio to cap the scoring in the frame and make it 5-0.

In the bottom of the fifth, a two-out single up the middle by sophomore Lauren Dockrill (San Diego, CA/Cathedral Catholic) chased home sophomore Claire Mattox (Arlington, VA/Potomac School) and freshman Christine Anderson (Palmer Lake, CO/Lewis-Palmer) to cut the lead to 5-2.  It would remain that way until the last of the sixth.

Cooper, who drove in two runs, also got the win in the circle and improves to 3-1 as she tossed 2 2/3 innings of shutout relief.  Dockrill went 3-for-4 with two RBI, while Kylie Nottingham went 3-for-4 also.  Anderson and Snover both had two hits in the win.  WC had 15 hits in game two.

For Stevenson, Bilski and Urban both went 3-for-4 in the second game.  In the circle, Katie Diller took the loss in relief and drops to 6-5.  The Mustangs racked up 11 hits in the nightcap.

In the first game, Stevenson scored three times in the top of the second to take a 3-0 lead.  Brittani Rynkowski drove in two runs on a single to right-center to plate Bilski and Diller and make it 2-0.  DiMeglio scored on an error to cap the scoring the second.

The Mustangs plated two more in the top of the third to take a 5-0 lead.  Urban scored on a bases loaded walk to Diller and Bilski scored on an error by the hosts for the two runs.  The Shorewomen got one run in the last of the fourth when junior Brittany Walter (Bel Air, MD/C. Milton Wright) singled up the middle to knock in junior Lindsey Glascock (Glenwood, MD/Glenelg) for WC's lone run of the opener and cap the scoring.

Bilski scored twice for Stevenson and Rynkowski drove in two for the guests in the win.  The Mustangs won game one in spite of having just three hits.  Diller went the distance in the circle and improved to 6-4 on the year.  She scattered eight hits in the win.

Walter had three hits to lead all players in game one for WC.  She also took the loss in the circle as she gave up five runs, but just two of them were earned in 2 1/3 innings.  She drops to 1-5 on the year.  Cooper pitched 4 2/3 innings of shutout relief.

Washington opens Centennial Conference play on Saturday with a twinbill against visiting Franklin & Marshall.  First pitch on the campus of Washington College is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.