Dockrill and Nottingham Set Program Record For Games Played; Cooper Reaches 300 Career Strikeouts

OWINGS MILLS, Md. – Visiting Washington College and host Stevenson split a non-conference softball doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon at Weinberg-Fine Stadium.  The Shorewomen won game two, 9-1, after falling in nine innings in the opener, 4-3.  The Shorewomen are now 24-10 overall, while the Mustangs are now 15-20.

In game two, the Shorewomen took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when junior shortstop Suzanne Patinella (Fallston, Md./Maryvale Prep) singled to third base to plate senior first baseman Lauren Dockrill (San Diego, Calif./Cathedral Catholic).  The Mustangs tied the game at 1-1 in the last of the fourth when Molly Hoyt cracked a one-out double to left field to plate Kristen Fassler.

Washington would take a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth when senior catcher Kylie Nottingham (Ocean City, Md./Stephen Decatur) scored on a throwing error with two away.

The Shorewomen would bust the game open with a five-run top of the sixth.  Sophomore outfielder Paige Briganti (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park) scored on a throwing error with one out to make it 3-1.  Senior designated player Claire Mattox (Arlington, Va./Potomac School) singled to left to drive in junior pitcher Kristin Cooper (Georgetown, Del./Sussex Central) to make it 4-1.  Freshman third baseman Caitlyn Kirby (Glen Burnie, Md./Glen Burnie) doubled to left-center to score both sophomore outfielder Clare Hofstedt (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park) and Mattox to push the lead to five runs.  The scoring in the inning was capped with two outs when Kirby scored on a double steal to make it 7-1.  The Shorewomen scored two more times in the top of the seventh to provide the final margin.

Washington, which had 14 hits in the win, got two hits from Briganti, Cooper, Hofstedt, Kirby and Mattox.  Kirby and Mattox both drove in two runs, while Cooper scored twice.  In the circle, Cooper got the win to improve to 10-3 as she went the entire way.  She struck out five, walked two, gave up only four hits and one earned run.  Cooper reached the 300 career strikeout mark when she fanned Brianna Dieter swinging for the first out of the last of the fourth.  She now has 301 career strikeouts.

Hoyt had two hits for Stevenson as the hosts had four hits in the game.  In the circle, Briana Pichalski took the loss to fall to 8-9 as she went all seven innings.

In game one, Stevenson took a 1-0 lead in the last of the first when Kristen Mueller scored on a one-out single to left off the bat of Tiffany Kahl.  Washington leveled the game in the third at 1-1 when freshman Gina DeAngelis (Jacksonville, Fla./Bishop Kenny) came around to score on a two-out two-bagger to left by Briganti. 

In the top of the eighth, WC took a 2-1 lead when with two outs, Patinella tripled to right to score Nottingham.  But the hosts tied it at 2-2 in the last of the eighth when Mueller scored on an RBI groundout to third by Kahl. 

Washington took a 3-2 lead in the top of the ninth when Kirby scored on a two-out single to left by Hofstedt.  However in the last of the ninth, the Mustangs scored twice to win it.  Fassler scored on an error to tie the game at 3-3 with nobody out and with one out, Hoyt singled through the left side to chase in Nicole Dell for the winning run.

Stevenson, which had eight hits in the opener, got two hits each from Hoyt, Brianna Dieter and Naomi Fields, while Kahl drove in two.  In the circle, Hoyt went the entire way to improve to 6-8 as she gave up eight hits, three runs, one earned, walking one and not striking out a batter.

Hofstedt and junior pitcher Christine Anderson (Palmer Lake, Colo./Lewis-Palmer) had two hits each as WC had eight in the game.  In the circle, Anderson took the loss and falls to 7-2.  She went 8 2/3 innings, giving up four runs, one earned, eight hits, walking two and fanning four. 

In the first game, Dockrill and Nottingham set the Washington College record for all-time games played in a Washington uniform when they played in its 162nd.  The two have now played in 163 games all-time.  The record had been previously held by 2013 graduates Lindsey Glascock and Shaelan Nottingham at 161.

Washington concludes its home slate in a key Centennial Conference doubleheader with visiting McDaniel on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.  One WC win, one Franklin & Marshall loss at Muhlenberg on Saturday, or two Haverford losses in its last four Centennial Conference games will ensure a fourth straight trip to the Centennial Conference Tournament and a chance to defend the crown.