Playing its first two home games of the season at two different sites, the Muhlenberg softball suffered the same fate both times: a four-run loss to a nationally ranked team from Upstate New York.

The Mules (6-5) dropped the opening games at Pates Park to No. 6 Ithaca, 4-0, then traveled across Allentown to their new home park at Cedarcreek Field. There they lost to 11th-ranked Cortland State, 5-1.

Muhlenberg had chances aplenty in both games, but struggled to get the big hit with runners on base. The Mules stranded a total of 19 runners in the two games, 10 of them in scoring position, and left the bases loaded three times.

Sophomore Tina Roth was 3-for-4 in the two games and scored Muhlenberg’s lone run after hitting her second double of the Cortland State game.

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WOMEN’S TENNIS
Dominance at the top of the lineup led Muhlenberg to a 7-2 win at McDaniel in its Centennial Conference opener. The Mules (2-1) have won 19 consecutive CC matches since 2003.

Junior Amy Schmidt, sophomore Pam Kimmelman and senior Emily Oster combined to lose only six games in five combined matches at first and second doubles and first through third singles. Schmidt won 6-0, 6-0 at first singles to extend her spring dual-match singles winning streak to 13. In her three matches this spring, Schmidt has won 6-0, 6-0 twice and 6-1, 6-0 the other time.

Freshman Amanda Clifford picked up her first career victory with a three-set win at No. 6.

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MEN’S TENNIS
Washington, ranked 18th in Division III, improved to 89-0 all-time in Centennial Conference matches with a 7-0 shutout of Muhlenberg. The Shoremen have not lost a conference match of any kind since 1985.

Junior Adam Nodiff nearly pulled off an upset against a Division I transfer at No. 4 singles before losing, 4-6, 6-4, (10-7).

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In winning their third straight, the Mules (7-3) took advantage of a Hartwick team that was sloppy in its first game of the season. The Hawks made eight errors, which led to nine unearned runs.

Senior Gregg Burkhart struck out nine batters in six innings to

Senior C.J. Kessler slides into second on a third-inning forceout that scored the Mules’ 10th run. Kessler scored twice himself, moving into a tie for 12th in team history with 81 runs scored.

earn his 10th career win and move within 10 of the program’s all-time strikeout record.

Muhlenberg trailed 2-1 before scoring six times in the bottom of the second. The first five batters reached on three errors, a bunt single by junior James Petersen and a base-loaded walk, bringing in two runs. Sophomore Ryan Sassaman followed with a two-run double and later scored on a single by junior Matt Tobia.

Back-to-back errors in the third led to three more unearned runs. Sophomore Pete Oris belted his second home run of the season in the sixth, a two-run shot that squeaked just inside the left-field foul pole.

Sassaman finished 2-for-4 with three RBI, and junior Chad Hegstrom had a perfect day at the plate, going 2-for-2 with two walks, two runs scored and two RBI.

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