HANOVER, Ind. – Sophomore Lily Beurman (Evansville, Ind.) and senior Allison Wiseman (New Albany, Ind.) combined for 14 scoreless innings in the circle, as the Hanover College softball team swept its home opener against Capital (Ohio), 4-0 and 3-0.

The pitching duo of Beurman and Wiseman conceded 12 hits over 14 innings but did not allow a single Capital (3-7) runner to cross home plate. With the two victories, Hanover improves to 5-5 overall and picked up its third and fourth shutouts of the season.

Bearman has now been a part of all four shutouts this spring, as she combined to go 8.1 innings over two games, striking out nine batters, including six in a Game One start. She added her first save of the season in the night cap, going 2.0 innings in relief, allowing one hit while striking out three.

Wiseman closed the first game with the final two outs before making the start in Game Two. The senior, who missed the 2018 season due to injury, received her first winning decision since April 12, 2017, as she went 5.0 innings, allowing four hits and striking out one.

At the plate, sophomore Mackenzie Smith (Jeffersonville, Ind.) picked up three hits in six at-bats to lead the offense. Junior Shelby Edington (New Goshen, Ky.) added a hit in each contest, extending her current streak to 10 games.

GAME ONE RECAP (4-0 WIN)

In the opener, a two-out first inning rally got the Panthers on the board first. Edington doubled to left center and then scored on a single from senior Carlie Roark (Hebron, Ky.). Roark was two-for-three at the plate during Game One.

Beurman retired the side in order in the first and fourth innings, while also working out of a jam in the third frame to keep the one-run HC advantage. Capitalizing on two Capital errors in the bottom of the fourth, Roark and Beruman crossed home plate to put HC in front 3-0. Sophomore Tori Snook (Seymour, Ind.) posted the lone RBI of the frame on a sac fly to centerfield.

An additional insurance run came for the Blue and Red in the bottom of the sixth, as junior Jennah Ruddick (McCordsville, Ind.) delivered a two-out double to right center, scoring freshman pinch-runner Abby Wilson (Cincinnati, Ohio).

The Crusaders left four more runners on base in the fifth and sixth innings and left a total of seven stranded in the game. Beurman and Wiseman combined to pitch a 1-2-3 seventh inning to secure the win.

GAME TWO RECAP (3-0 WIN)

All of Hanover's offensive damage in the night cap came in the bottom of the first. The Panthers had runners on first and second with no outs before Edington drove in her lone run of the day on a single up the middle.

After a groundout moved runners to second and third, senior Tori Luster (Indianapolis, Ind.) recorded a sac fly to right to give HC its second run. Freshman Kiley Shedron (Cloverdale, Ind.) followed with a single through the right side for the Panthers' third run.

Capital had a baserunner in each of the first three innings but could not score. Wiseman then retired the side in order in the fourth and worked out of jam in the fifth to keep the Crusaders scoreless. Beurman entered in the sixth and left four Capital runners stranded over two innings of work to record her second career save.

Sophomore Brittney Ralston (Lexington, Ind.) posted a two-for-three effort at the plate, as she and Smith combined for four of HC's seven hits in the contest.

UP NEXT: The Panthers will return to action Saturday, March 16, with a home doubleheader against Fontbonne (Mo.). Game One is slated for a 2 p.m. first pitch.

Contact: Tyler Jester

jestert@hanover.edu