GRANTHAM, Pa. – Mikaela Lovell made a perfect catch and throw to complete a game-ending double play as the Widener University softball team won the opening game of the 2019 MAC Commonwealth Softball Championship, downing Lebanon Valley 3-2 on Friday morning.
 
BY THE NUMBERS

• Kait Jaworski picked up her 15th win and 14th complete game of the season, allowing two runs on six hits, striking out four.
• Carly Benozich and Ariel Silva had two hits each.
• Benozich scored two runs. Bri Milz crossed the plate once.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• With the game tied 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth, Widener took the lead as Benozich and Silvia both singled. Hope DiMario came up and grounded a ball softly to the left side. On the play, the LVC third baseman fielded the ball and flipped to the shortstop covering. The toss sailed high and into leftfield, allowing Benozich to score the go-ahead run.
• In the seventh, the Dutchmen led off with a bunt single and a sacrifice. Widener appeared to get the second out of the inning on a strikeout, but the ball went through the legs of the Pride catcher putting runners on first and third with one out. Coming up next, Annie McClain lifted a shallow fly to right that was caught by Lovell. She then fired a one-hop strike to the plate to nab the runner on third trying to tag up, ending the game.
• Widener got on the board first with a run in the opening frame on a single by Benozich and a double by Silva. Lebanon Valley scored single runs in the third and fourth to take its lead. WU knotted the score with an RBI groundout in the fifth.

 
UP NEXT
Widener advances into the winner's bracket and will face Arcadia this afternoon at 2:00 p.m. The win also guarantees the Pride will play at least one game on Saturday.