MELBOURNE, Fla. - Cornerstone Softball improved to 2-1 in extra-inning games in the Sunshine State as the Golden Eagles posted a 4-3 win in nine against Bethel (Ind.). The victory came after a 6-1 setback to No. 10 ranked Marian earlier in the day to give CU a split on Friday and leave them at 7-7 overall on the season. The Golden Eagles conclude their spring trip Saturday with a 12:15pm contest against New College of Florida and a 2:30pm contest against Dordt (Iowa).
 
Game One Highlights – No. 10 Marian 6, Cornerstone 1

• Facing their first ranked opponent of the year, CU got on the board first when Jolie Groeneveld singled home Mackenzie Nagelhout, who had a triple earlier in the inning
• The Knights countered in the bottom half of the frame with three runs as four of their first five batters posted hits including one double
• The pitchers settled in for the next four innings as Allie Lubben kept the powerful Knight lineup in check
• CU had a few threatening innings but was unable to come up with a hit to bring across a run
• Marian then got a walk, single and triple, followed by an RBI groundout to bring across three additional runs, leading 6-1 after six
• CU was unable to score in their half of the 7th, ending the game with the final score of 6-1 

Game Two Highlights – Cornerstone, Bethel

• CU put their first batters on base - a single from Anna Griffioen and a walk to Mackenzie Nagelhout but a pair of fielder's choices and strikeout ended the threat
• Bethel grabbed the early lead with a run on a wild pitch to take a 1-0 lead after one
• The Pilots added to their lead in the third inning with a single run to go up 2-0
• Cornerstone finally broke through in the fourth as Moriah Sprague legged out an infield single and after a stolen base and advance, was brought home by a single off the bat of Alayna Meade to cut the margin to 2-1
• CU continued their push in the next inning as their first three batters reached on hits but then saw back to back fielders choices with outs coming at the plate
• With the bases loaded and two outs, CU got consecutive singles from Sprague and Alexis Ashbay to go up 3-2
• The Pilots threatened in the fifth inning thanks to a pair of singles and an error by CU but Alyssa Braam struck out a batter and got a ground out to keep the 3-2 lead
• Cornerstone again put the first three batters on to start the 6^th but two more outs at the plate and a strikeout kept them from adding to the lead
• Bethel took advantage and brought across one run in the bottom of the 6th
• Neither team was able to score in the 7^th or 8^th innings but CU came up big in the 9^th when Moriah Sprague bunted home Jolie Groeneveld
• Alyssa Braam finished it off in the bottom half of the inning with a ground-out, pop-out and strikeout

 
 
What's Next?
Cornerstone will finish the Space Coast Games in Florida on Saturday with back to back games against New College of Florida and Dordt beginning at 12:15pm.
 
Softball Contact: Jonny Strube
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