The GW softball team played Norfolk State at Mount Vernon Field Tuesday night, but nothing was decided, as the game ended in a 4-4 tie due to darkness after nine innings.
Freshman pitcher Gabby Culp said the game was “a good effort both offensively and defensively. We did a good job coming back to tie the game up and keep the game going as long as it did.”
The Colonials (0-2-1) trailed 4-3 in the bottom of the fifth inning after blowing a 3-0 lead, but sophomore Elana Myers drew a walk and stole second to get into scoring position. She then moved to third on a sacrifice by freshman Lisa Cohen and scored on a single by freshman Ashley Horner.
Norfolk State (0-0-1) scored all four of its runs in the top of the fifth, three of them unearned. The inning started with an error allowing the Spartans’ Allison Greene to reach first base and a passed ball allowing Lenore Heron to get on after she had struck out. Two subsequent walks and a two-run single by Katie Byrne tied the game, and Byrne would score on another error.
After GW came back to tie the game, neither team could score. Culp pitched all nine innings, giving up one earned run and four hits while walking 10 and striking out 13 Spartans.
The Colonials drew 10 walks themselves, with each of their runs coming off bases on balls. In the first inning, Meyers walked, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and then scored on a groundout by Cohen. In the second inning, freshmen Katy Harrington and Colleen Kegler each drew a walk. Harrington would later score on a double steal, while Kegler would come home on a wild pitch to make it 3-0.
“Everyone is stepping up and playing where the team needs them, and we’re definitely coming together as a team,” Cohen said.
The Colonials next take the field at the GW Invitational this weekend, playing five games at Mount Vernon Field this Saturday and Sunday.
“We’ll be working on staying consistently strong, instead of letting up and allowing a team to tie like we did with Norfolk State,” said Culp. “This weekend we plan to win.”
