ARNOLD, Md. – The Anne Arundel Community College softball team opened its 2024 campaign with a decisive sweep of visiting Monroe College-Bronx Sunday afternoon. The Riverhawks won the first game, 7-3, before topping the Express in five innings in the second game, 10-1.
Game One
Despite combining for five hits in the game, the Riverhawks took advantage of some unsettled pitching and made the most of their time on the bases with five steals. Rylee Gardner finished the game 2-for-3 with an RBI.
The Express got on the board in the first with a two-out triple. AACC responded in the bottom half with two runs, first on a misplay against a stolen base, then on an Addi Hurst single to right.
AACC added two runs in the third on an RBI single from Rylee Gardner, then a Jayden Buchanan RBI groundout with runners on second and third.
In the sixth, the Riverhawks picked up three more runs courtesy of a passed ball and two wild pitches before hitting into a double play to end the inning.
The Express led off the seventh with a solo home run before AACC pitcher Kendall Thomas struck out the next two batters. After a pair of hits, the Express got one more run before the Riverhawks tagged Sonia Rosa at second trying to extend her single to end the game.
Thomas struck out six in the game while allowing three runs on eight hits.
Game Two
AACC scored eight runs in the second before Hurst hit a two-run home run to right in the third. Pitcher Makayla Blake allowed just one run on six hits while striking out four in the win. The Riverhawks collected seven hits in the game and took advantage of six Express errors in the game.
Monroe-Bronx scored on a single in the first before AACC erupted for eight runs on six hits and three dropped fly balls in the bottom of the second – all with two outs. With runners on first and second, Jocy Degeyter plated one on a dropped fly to center. Alexys Gardner then drove in a pair of runs on a single through the left. Gardner stole second, setting up the run when Grace Mozloom reached on another dropped ball by the center fielder. Mozloom came around to score all the way from first when Hurst claimed first via another dropped ball in the outfield. Thomas, Buchanan, and Brooke Lucente- Watson followed with RBI singles to make it 8-1 through two innings.
Hurst hit her first career home run over the right field fence in the third to put the Riverhawks up, 10-1. AACC had the bases loaded in the fourth, but hit into a double play to end the inning.
Blake then induced a foul out before striking out two in the top of the fifth.
AACC is back in action this weekend with a home doubleheader against Frederick on Saturday, March 2, and a road doubleheader at Navy at 10 a.m. Sunday.
