ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Tuesday, March 28, 2006

View pictures of the game here.

Elizabethtown Edges Franklin & Marshall 3-2 in 10 Innings; Alex Lee Whiffs 16 F&M Batters in Extra-Inning Two-Hitter

ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. --- Elizabethtown improved to 5-7 overall with a 3-2, ten inning, non-conference victory over Franklin & Marshall Tuesday. The day was originally scheduled as a doubleheader, but due to the length of the first game, the second game was called by darkness after just two innings. Franklin & Marshall dropped to 3-14 overall with the loss.

Only one of the five runs scored by the two teams was earned. Etown sophomore pitcher Alex Lee (Emmaus, PA/Emmaus) went all 10 innings and allowed just two hits and two unearned runs en route to getting her fourth win of the season. She also struck out 16 batters and walked one.

F&M pitcher Bonnie Crouthamel (Chatham, NJ/Chatham) had nearly as good a performance, as she allowed just three Etown hits, two unearned runs and one earned run in nine innings pitched. She walked Etown batters nine times and struck out 12.

Etown took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning when sophomore catcher Abbie Merrifield (York, PA/Dallastown) launched a leadoff home run, the first homer of her collegiate career. F&M tied the game in the top of the sixth inning as Crouthamel doubled and scored on an Etown error.

The game remained tied at 1-1 as the seventh inning expired, and the eighth inning began with the international tiebreaker rule taking effect, wherein the previous inning’s last batter is placed on second base at the start. F&M’s Krystin Alex (Melville, NY/St. Anthony) was placed on second to start the top half of the eighth inning, and after a sacrifice moved her up to third, Dana Johns (York, PA/Eastern York) singled her home to give the Diplomats a 2-1 lead.

In the bottom half of the eighth inning, Tanya Konek (Slatington, PA/Northern Lehigh) was placed on second to begin the Blue Jays’ turn at bat, and Merrifield drove her home on a single with two outs to tie the score at 2-2 and keep the game alive.

The ninth inning passed without any more scoring, and F&M failed to score in the top of the tenth inning. In the bottom of the tenth inning, Etown’s Lauren Dressler (Duncannon, PA/Susquenita) was placed on second to start and ultimately scored the game-winner with no one out on a passed ball while Merrifield was at the plate.

Elizabethtown will return to action Thursday, March 30 when it hosts Gettysburg College in a 2:30 p.m. non-conference doubleheader.

View pictures of the game here.