softball topples no. 2 wartburg

Baseball Opens with Split Senior Danny Asip singled in the game-winning run in extra innings as the Muhlenberg baseball team opened its 2008 season with a 10-9 win against Aurora in the first game of a doubleheader. Aurora came back to take the nightcap, 8-3. The Mules trailed, 6-3, in the first game before tying the score with two in the fourth and one in the fifth. Muhlenberg took a 9-6 lead with three runs in the sixth, on successive RBI hits by sophomore Dan Fisher (double), junior Christian Conti (triple) and senior Joe Carlo (single). Aurora forced extra innings by plating three runs (two unearned in the top of the seventh). Conti and Carlo drew back-to-back walks to lead off the bottom of the eighth. After a sacrifice and intentional walk, Asip singled on an 0-2 pitch to bring home Conti with the winning run. Junior Joseph Barrese earned the victory with four innings of relief, allowing only two hits and one earned run. Muhlenberg spotted Aurora a 6-0 lead in the second game and could not come back. Click here for line scores.

After allowing three hits in the first inning, Kestenbaum surrendered only three more the rest of the game.

The Muhlenberg softball team began the 2008 season with a bang, toppling No. 2 ranked Wartburg, 4-3, at the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla. In their second game of the day, the Mules lost to Augustana, 7-2.

Junior Lara Kestenbaum pitched a six-hitter against the Knights, who were second in Division III with a team slugging percentage of .585 last year. She allowed one extra-base hit, a triple, and retired the final two batters with the potential tying run on second.

Freshman Jess Kasza struck the big blow in her first career game, hitting a two-run double to cap a three-run fifth. Trailing 2-1 entering the frame, Muhlenberg loaded the bases with one out before junior RiRi Ferrigno brought in the tying run with a single and Kasza followed with her two-bagger.

Kasza also singled in the Mules’ first run in the Augustana game and scored the second after doubling.

Junior Samantha Crist reached base in six of eight plate appearances in the two games, going 3-for-5 with three walks.
Click here for line scores.