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WILMINGTON, Del. - Searching for their first win of the 2013 season, the Lightning softball team will host a pair of opponents from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference this weekend at the Jackson Athletic Complex. After hosting Mansfield University in a non-conference doubleheader on Saturday, Mar. 9 at 1 p.m., the Lightning will face Kutztown University in a pair of games on Sunday, Mar. 10 at 1 p.m.
The pair of doubleheaders will mark the start of a stretch where the Lightning will play eight games in five days after the Kutztown doubleheader was moved from Wednesday afternoon due to inclement weather.
Now 0-4 on the early season, the Lightning are coming off a pair of losses against East Stroudsburg University on Tuesday afternoon at the Jackson Athletic Complex. After dropping the opener by an 8-1 margin, the Lightning were unable to rally in the nightcap and lost by a 6-4 count against the Warriors.
Sophomore utility player Samantha Alonzo (Roy C. Ketcham H.S./Wappinger Falls, N.Y.) led the Lightning in a losing effort on Tuesday afternoon with two doubles and two runs batted in while freshman Madison Newhouser (North Schuylkill H.S./Ashland, Pa.) had three hits and scored two runs.
Junior utility player Roni Peters (Leonardtown H.S./Leonardtown, Md.) is the Lightning's leading hitter through the first four games with a .364 batting average and has reached base in all four games. Meanwhile, Alonzo has tallied four hits in the first four games and has a .333 average. Of Alonzo's four hits this season, three of them have gone for extra bases.
Peters is also one of three players who have seen time in the pitching circle for the Lightning this season. She made her season debut against East Stroudsburg in the first game on Tuesday and allowed four runs on three hits in three innings. However, two of the four runs were unearned as a result of Lightning errors.
Meanwhile, senior Ashley Antosh (Twin Valley H.S./Honey Brook, Pa.) has posted a 4.02 earned run average in three appearances, but has a pair of complete game efforts and a team-high six strikeouts. Junior Courtney Dolson (Gloucester H.S./Gloucester, N.J.) has appeared in two games and has a 6.75 earned run average in 9.1 innings of work.
Currently 2-3 on the season, Mansfield will be looking to win back-to-back games for the first time this season after posting a 5-4 victory over Brevard College on Sunday afternoon at the Mid-South Classic. The Mountaineers snapped a three-game losing streak with the win.
Sophomore infielder Courtney Bauder (Jersey Shore H.S./Jersey Shore, Pa.) led the Mountaineers to the victory on Sunday afternoon by collecting three hits in four at-bats, including a pair of doubles and a home run, as Mansfield jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the first three innings before holding off Brevard. Meanwhile, senior Caitlin Klobosits (Whitehall H.S./Coplay, Pa.) scattered six hits through six innings while recording nine strikeouts.
Junior Kate Pratt (Troy H.S./Troy, Pa.) is the Mountaineers' leading hitter with a .467 batting average through five games with two home runs and five runs batted in. Meanwhile, Bauder is hitting .353 with a pair of home runs and four runs batted in.
Klobosits has both of Mansfield's wins in the circle with a 5.00 earned run average. She also has a team-high 24 strikeouts and is one of five pitchers who have seen action thus far.
Off to a 3-2 start to the season, the Bears have been anxious to return to game action after having all five of their games at the Catawba Invitational canceled due to inclement weather. Kutztown, which is playing for the first time since Feb. 10, will be trying to snap a two-game losing skid after a 2-1 loss against Francis Marion at the UNC-Pembroke Invitational.
Junior infielder Colleen Smith (East Islip H.S./Islip Terrace, N.Y.) is the Bears' leading hitter with a .429 average and has a team-high six hits along with one of the team's two home runs. Meanwhile, junior outfielder Jackie Hetzler (Washington Township H.S./Turnersville, N.J.) is batting .364 in five games with a team-high three walks.
Sophomores Mary Kociencki (Sparta H.S./Columbia, N.J.) and Dominique Ficara (Kingsway H.S./Swedesboro, N.J.) have split a majority of the pitching duties for the Bears. Kociencki has posted a 1.27 earned run average while allowing just four earned runs in 22.0 innings while Ficara has a 5.00 earned run average in two appearances with five strikeouts.
The Bears have held their opponents to a .210 batting average in five games this season.
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