COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – Izzy Schaefer threw back-to-back shutouts to deal the Ursinus College softball team a sweep in Saturday's Centennial Conference doubleheader.
Schaefer allowed nine hits and did not walk a batter in leading the Diplomats (17-5, 7-5) to two crucial wins in a matchup of teacher and apprentice; first-year F&M coach Brooke Kalman was an assistant under Bears head coach Sam Campo for the 2015 and 2016 seasons.
Junior Faith Carson went 2-for-3 in the second game, while classmate Gabrielle Manto picked up hits in both ends of the twin bill for Ursinus (11-19, 2-12).
Game 1: F&M 3, Ursinus 0
The Diplomats had only three hits in the first five innings off Ursinus senior Kaitlyn Willis, but one of them was all the Blue and White would need. Lexi Piccinich drove a two-out pitch over the wall in dead center field in the first inning, a score that held up until Sam Burns' two-run double in the sixth gave F&M some breathing room.
The Bears had few opportunities against Schaefer, who allowed only one runner to reach second – on a throwing error in the bottom of the first. Ursinus only three hit balls out of the infield in the opener.
Schaefer conceded just three hits and struck out three to outduel Willis, who surrendered three runs on five hits. Willis struck out six (all in the first three innings) and walked two. Freshman Gabby Ilyes pitched a scoreless seventh in relief.
Freshman Michela Coleman had a bunt single to join Crouse and Manto as the lone Bears with a hit against Schaefer.
Game 2: F&M 6, Ursinus 0
Ursinus began to square up Schaefer a bit more the second time, but some bad fortune short-circuited their best scoring opportunity.
Freshman Heather Lazer opened the second with a ringing double to right center and went to third on a sacrifice by sophomore Renee LeClerc. Senior Rachel Hyman then roped a liner right at the shortstop, who doubled off Lazer at third to end the inning.
The Diplomats got to freshman Morgan Comfort in the third, when Piccinich opened the scoring with a two-out, two-run single with the bases loaded.
Ursinus had another opportunity in the fourth, as Carson and Manto started a rally with back-to-back singles. Junior Kayla Quinn's grounder to the right side advanced both runners, but Schaefer got a pop-up and strike out to keep the home side off the board.
With Schaefer dealing again, F&M added to its lead with two in the sixth and seventh. Schaefer allowed only one hit after Ursinus put two on with no outs in the fourth.
Comfort (5-8) surrendered four runs on eight hits with two walks and a strikeout, while Ilyes' two runs were both unearned in 1.1 frames of relief.
Up Next
The Bears complete a six-game home stand with a pair against Alvernia on Tuesday.