Saturday was another difficult afternoon for the GW softball team, as the squad dropped its eighth doubleheader of the season, being swept at home by St. Bonaventure.
A lack of offense doomed the Colonials in the opening 2-1 loss before tired pitching cost them their brief lead in the second game, which GW dropped 9-6.
“Any time you get mid- to late season and you’re struggling to win ballgames, it’s not an easy thing to swallow,” head coach Kim Staehle said. “The biggest thing that we’re trying to emphasize is that we have to get better.”
In the first game, GW’s (14-31, 4-16 Atlantic 10) lone run came off the bat of sophomore Katie Terrazas, whose sixth-inning shot did not clear the fence, but traveled far enough that she was able to fly around the bases for an inside-the-park homerun. Her blast was her fifth of the season, but not enough for the Colonials to make up the two-run deficit created by St. Bonaventure’s Brooke Frey , who hit a two-run homerun in the top of the first inning.
While GW junior Amanda Gabriel pitched a complete game, letting up just two runs on six hits and striking out three, she was ultimately out-dueled by the Bonnies’ Sherri Thompson. Thompson also pitched a complete game, but she surrendered only one run while striking out seven.
Gabriel dominated offensively in the day’s second game, going 2-for-3 at the plate, driving in two runs and hitting her fourth homerun of the season. She took the mound for the second time on the day in relief of freshman Heidi Penna, inheriting a 4-3 lead built by a storm of GW offense in the fourth and fifth innings. Kara Clauss, Amanda Holst, Krissy Mackiewicz and Gabriel each brought in runs for the Colonials over those two frames, giving GW a narrow lead after they had again fell behind early.
But in the top of the sixth, Gabriel let up four runs and then gave up two more in the seventh. After pitching all the way through the first game, it did not seem like Gabriel had enough left in her on a scorching hot day to preserve the team’s lead.
“Amanda had pretty much pitched enough,” said Staehle, who admitted she probably should have taken Gabriel out one pitch earlier. “I just felt at that point that she ran out of gas.”
Still, Staehle said she is satisfied with her workhorse pitcher, regardless of Gabriel taking two losses Saturday.
“I’m very proud of Amanda,” Staehle said. “Her leadership has been something that’s been very consistent to us, both offensively and defensively. She plays her role to the T and we certainly have a lot of respect for her.”
Despite the team’s shortcomings Saturday, Staehle recognizes that her girls can improve in the final two doubleheaders they have left on their schedule.
“There are four games left in our season. It doesn’t matter that we’re not playing for a conference championship bid,” she said, referring to the Colonials’ inability to qualify for the A-10 Tournament. “Hopefully our younger players are going to be up for that challenge and try to finish on a positive note.”
The Colonials next travel to nearby Maryland for a doubleheader Tuesday. The first game begins at 5 p.m.
