LEESBURG, Fla. – Freshman
Mackenzie Griswold (Bath, N.H.) struck out six and allowed just two hits for a complete game win in her collegiate debut as Plymouth State University topped Knox College, 9-1, in six innings at Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex on Friday.
The Panthers suffered a pair of walk-off losses to start the day, coming up just short against SUNY Cortland (4-3) and Ripon College (2-1), but the group rebounded spectacularly in the final game of the spring trip.
PSU had leads of 1-0 and 2-1 against Cortland, but each time the Red Dragons answered with a run in the next half inning. Freshman
Marin Agbay (Shrewsbury, Mass.) ripped an RBI double in the top of the sixth for a 3-2 lead, but Cortland took advantage of a pair of errors in the bottom of the seventh to walk off with the 4-3 win.
Runs were hard to come by in the second game of the day. Ripon scored a run in the third, but sophomore
Avery Couch (Fort Worth, Texas) smacked a two-out, pinch hit single up the middle to tie the game in the sixth. The score remained tied into the eighth, where PSU had the go-ahead run cut down at the plate. Ripon made the Panthers pay, as a single brought home the winning run in the bottom of the inning.
The Panthers took their frustrations out on Knox. After Griswold set down the Prairie Fire in order in the first, PSU sent 11 batters to the plate in a six-run inning and the rout was on. Plymouth State added two more in the second and, after Knox plated an unearned run in the fourth, sophomore
Samantha Durrenberger (Antioch, Calif.) ended the game in the sixth with an RBI infield hit. Griswold dazzled, allowing just two hits and a walk while striking out six and not surrendering an earned run.
Plymouth State ends its spring trip with an 8-5 record. Cortland improves to 3-5, Ripon goes to 2-9, and Knox falls to 0-14.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 3, Cortland 4
- Plymouth State 1, Ripon 2 (8 Inn.)
- Plymouth State 9, Knox 1 (6 Inn.)
- Plymouth State (8-5)
- Cortland (3-5)
- Ripon (2-9)
- Knox (0-14)
How it Happened (Cortland):
- Junior Kenzie Bessette (Cranston, R.I.) singled and stole second, then scored on Couch's sacrifice fly for a 1-0 lead in the first.
- The Red Dragons pulled even in the bottom of the frame.
- PSU went right back in front in the second. Senior Jade Guertin (Oakland, R.I.) and sophomore Kennedy Michaud (Auburn, N.H.) singled to start the frame, and Guertin scored on Agbay's sac fly for a 2-1 lead.
- Once again, Cortland answered back with a run in the bottom of the inning.
- The game remained tied into the sixth when PSU used a two-out rally to take the lead. Sophomore Kiera Larson (Glenwood Springs, Colo.) singled and pinch runner Ashley Trogler (Rochester, N.H.) moved up on a passed ball before Agbay's sun-aided double made it 3-2.
- Cortland plated a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the seventh to walk off with the win.
By the Numbers (Cortland):
- K. Bessette went 3-for-4 with a run scored, while junior Emily Bessette (Cranson, R.I.) was 2-for-4.
- Agbay drove in two runs and had PSU's lone extra-base hit.
- Junior Abbey Nezuch (Marlborough, Mass.) allowed just two earned runs over five innings of work.
How it Happened (Ripon):
- Ripon took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third on a bloop single.
- Trogler was hit by a pitch to open the fifth. She was bunted to second, then caught the defense sleeping and took third on the play, but the Red Hawks escaped with the lead intact.
- Ripon threatened for more in the bottom of the inning, but Durrenberger made a perfect throw from rightfield to record the third out at the plate.
- The Panthers pulled even on Couch's pinch hit, two-out single in the sixth. A wild pitch put runners on second and third, but Ripon got out of it with a soft lineout to the pitcher.
- PSU was unable to score the extra-innings runner in the eighth, and Ripon walked it off in the bottom of the frame.
By the Numbers (Ripon):
- Freshman Emily Estes (York, Maine) was 2-for-3 with a pair of singles.
- Junior Ariana Cray (Merrimack, N.H.) reached base twice with a single and a walk.
- Sophomore Lauren Laudani (Londonderry, N.H.) scattered 10 hits over five innings, allowing just one earned run while striking out four.
- Senior Kate McGrath (Boston, Mass.) suffered the loss despite allowing just one hit in 2.1 innings.
How it Happened (Knox):
- Making her first collegiate start, Griswold retired the side in order in the top of the first, and PSU's offense started quickly. The Bessette sisters rocked back-to-back triples to the right-center gap and Couch's single make it 2-0. With runners on the corners, PSU pulled off a double steal to plate a run, and senior Kaity Montelongo (South Paris, Maine) made it 5-0 with a two-run single. K. Bessette added a run-scoring single for a 6-0 lead after one.
- Griswold struck out the side in the second and PSU added two more in the bottom of the inning.
- Knox got a run in the top of the fourth to pull within 8-1.
- Michaud doubled down the leftfield line to open the bottom of the sixth. After moving up on a groundout, she scored the winning run on Durrenberger's infield hit.
By the Numbers (Knox):
- Griswold picked up her first career win, striking out six in six innings. She allowed just two hits and a walk, while the Prairie Fire's lone run was unearned.
- The Bessette sisters combined to go 3-for-4 with two triples, two RBIs, and two runs scored.
- Michaud and Larson each went 2-for 4 with a double. Michaud scored twice, while Larson scored once and drove in a run.
- Montelongo had a team-high two RBIs.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State begins Little East Conference (LEC) play a week from Saturday (Mar. 29) with a pair of games at WestConn. First pitch for the opener is set for noon.
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