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softball takes to offensive
to clinch playoff berth

Now that’s more like it.

After being held to one run and four hits in their last Centennial Conference doubleheader, the bats on the Muhlenberg softball team resumed their record-setting ways in a doubleheader sweep at Ursinus.

The Mules won the two games 7-2 and 8-7 improve their record to 20-15 overall, 11-5 in the CC. The win in the first game clinched a CC playoff berth for Muhlenberg, which tied Washington for second in the CC behind Dickinson. Despite the two losses, Ursinus also clinched a playoff berth to

Brewer (left) and Kline (right) receive warm welcomes at home following their back-to-back home runs.

round out the field as the fourth seed.

Hitting against the pitching staff with the second-lowest ERA in the CC, the Mules scored 15 runs and had eight extra-base hits. They broke the school record for runs scored in a season, extended their school records for doubles, home runs and extra-base hits in a season and tied the school record of three home runs in a game for the second time in two weeks.

“We have such a strong offensive team. To be shut down like that was disappointing,” said freshman Erica Wenzel, who got into the record act by breaking the 21-year-old school record for runs scored in a season. “We knew what we needed to work on, and today we came mentally prepared to play Ursinus.”

Leading the hit parade was senior Ashley Brewer, who hit two home runs in the nightcap – a two-run shot to open the scoring in the first and a game-winning three-run homer in the sixth. With the third two-homer game in program history, Brewer extended her school records for home runs and RBI in a season and home runs in a career.

Freshman Kelly Kline also powered up, hitting a big two-run double in the opener, and going back-to-back with Brewer in the first inning of the nightcap.

The sweep was the first by the Mules of Ursinus since 2000 and gave them their first 20-win season since 2004.

Muhlenberg, which struck out 24 times in the Dickinson doubleheader on Thursday, found the value of putting the ball in play in the opening game’s decisive inning. With the score tied 1-1 after four, the Mules took advantage of three Bear errors to plate four runs in the fifth.

Freshman Colleen O’Donnell had the lone

Brewer's seven home runs this season are one more than the Mules' previous career record. Her 42 RBI are tied for the most by a CC player since 1998.

hit of the inning, a one-out single to get the rally started. One run scored when the Ursinus shortstop threw away a backhand flip on an attempted force at third on Wenzel’s slow roller. Junior Shelby Smith hit a pinch-hit sacrifice fly, and two more runs came in on a dropped fly ball in left-center.

Kline’s two-run double in the seventh extended the lead to 7-1, which was more than enough for Brewer, who completed the six-hitter to earn her 10th win of the season.

The back-to-back round-trippers by Brewer and Kline gave the Mules an early 3-0 lead in the nightcap, and it was 5-2 before uncharacteristic fielding mistakes led to five unearned runs that gave the Bears a 7-5 lead after four.

Sophomore Devon Barber singled to right to start the top of the sixth, and Wenzel followed with a walk. Brewer, the next batter, took two strikes, then crushed the 0-2 pitch over the fence in center to put Muhlenberg on top, 8-7.

“I love hitting in front of Ashley,” said Wenzel. “I know I can rely on her to get the job done. I wasn’t expecting a home run, but that was great! It put us ahead, and we played well the rest of the game.”

The Mules protected their lead in the sixth when sophomore Angie Sisco retired the side 1-2-3. In the bottom of the seventh, the leadoff batter hit a ground ball to deep short, and Brewer made a nice pick of senior Jess Kasza’s long throw for the first out. Ursinus eventually did get a runner to third, but Kasza caught a soft popup to end the game.

After a non-conference doubleheader against Eastern tomorrow, Muhlenberg will travel to Carlisle this weekend to play in the CC playoffs. The Mules won the championship in 2009 but missed the playoffs last season.

“[Making the playoffs] was one of our goals,” said Wenzel. “To be here with this team as a freshman is such a great experience, and I’m looking forward to playing in the playoffs.”
Click here for line scores.
Click for complete stats: Game 1 | Game 2