ELLICOTT CITY, Md. – It was a beautiful day for softball. Temps in the 80's, blue skies and a slight breeze. Notre Dame of Maryland faced the top pitcher in the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) Megan Potter, and spoiled a perfect game in game one. In game two, maybe Wilson took that personally putting up 24 runs. The Phoenix swept the doubleheader, 6-0 and 24-2.
Game 1
The big story in game one was Wilson College's Megan Potter, and her near perfect game. She struck out 13 batters, but not the last one she needed,
Jessie Leatherwood. On a 2-2 count, Leatherwood fouled off a couple pitches to stay alive, then hit a ground ball to shortstop. She busted down the line and beat out the throw by a step for a base hit. The Wilson dugout and players on the field groaned, thought they made the out, but the correct call was made and the perfect game and no-hit bid ended.
Leatherwood was solid on the mound in this one. Good enough to win against almost any other pitcher. Wilson ranks in the top three in the conference batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage. The south paw held the Phoenix to just four earned runs in her seven innings of work.
Game one went the distance with a final score of 6-0, Phoenix.
Game 2
Senior,
Jodie Bronushas, made her long awaited return to the Gators, last playing in 2019. She was the Gators top pitcher that year going 7-9 with four shutouts, and 5.42 ERA over 92.2 inning pitched. Bronashus was a bit rusty in her first start in two years, walking 10 Wilson batters, and allowing 15 hits in the five inning affair. She threw 169 pitches in the game.
Wilson scored 24, but a third of those runs were of the unearned variety with the Gators committing eight errors in the contest.
The Gators never stop fighting though. In the bottom of the fourth, Jessie Leatherwood came through with another hit, this time a double in the gap in left center.
Miranda Burton followed suit, smashing her third home run of the season, a wall scraper to straight away center. The two-run shot kept the Gators from being shut out.
Burton and Leatherwood both earned CSAC Honor Roll recognition in Monday's conference players of the week awards.
Wilson walked away with a five inning victory, 24-2.
Next up
After a day off Thursday, Its off to New Jersey for back to back doubleheaders against the St. Elizabeth Eagles (7-7, 7-7) on Friday, first pitch 3:00 pm. Then Centenary University for the season finale on Saturday. The Cyclones are 7-9 in CSAC play and 7-11 overall. First pitch Saturday slated for 1:00 pm.
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