CLERMONT, Fla. – The Kentucky Wesleyan College softball team split a doubleheader on Tuesday during day two of their Florida trip to move to 10-5 on the season.
Game One: Michigan-Dearborn 3 – Kentucky Wesleyan 6
Michigan-Dearborn scored one run in the top of the first inning but the Panthers responded with four in the bottom of the frame to take a 4-1 lead. Three straight singles from Meredith Daunhauer, Maddie Dawson and Jaylin Tidwell put Kentucky Wesleyan on the board with two runs. With two outs and runners on second and third, Mallory Nease reached first on an error, allowing Lexie Mullen and Tidwell to score.
Tidwell knocked a double to centerfield in the bottom of the second to drive Dawson home and extend the lead to 5-1. The Wolves tabbed one run in the top of the third to cut the deficit to three runs.
In the bottom of the fifth Tidwell led off with a single to left field and utilized a wild pitch to reach second. Another error by the centerfielder allowed Parker to reach first and Tidwell to score from second. Michigan-Dearborn scored one in the top of the seventh, but the Panthers held on for the 6-2 win.
Tidwell finished game one a perfect four-for-four at the plate with three runs driven in and two scored herself. Daunhauer went three-for-four with one run scored while Dawson scored two with one hit.
Casey Smith earned her first win of the season after pitching 6.1 innings and allowing three runs off of eight hits and striking out one. In 0.2 innings of relief, Maci Brown struck out two.
Game Two: Kentucky Wesleyan 3 - Tiffin 10
The Dragons tallied seven hits in the first two frames to jump out to a commanding 7-0 lead. Kentucky Wesleyan utilized a two-out rally in the top of the fourth to cut the deficit to four.
With two runners on, Caitlyn Lawson knocked a double to clear the bases and get the Panthers on the board with two runs. Nease drove in Lawson with a double of her own to make the score 7-3.
Kentucky Wesleyan was unable to stage a comeback, only having two runners reach scoring position in the final two innings.
Daunhauer, Dawson, Lockwood, Lawson and Nease each finished with one hit. Lawson tabbed two runs driven in while scoring one herself.
Jessica Carmon went the distance in her first loss of the season. Carmon struck out two and allowed 10 runs off of 13 hits.
The Panthers will return to action on Thursday with a double header against Gannon University and Wheeling Jesuit. Stay up to date on all your Panther news by following @KWCpanthers on Twitter and by liking the "Kentucky Wesleyan College Athletics" Facebook page.
