Softball wins big on Maryland Trip
The 2023 Season for RCSJ-Cumberland Dukes Softball began in a big way. The Dukes opened their season on their spring trip which took place this year in the Greater Annapolis area. Against Division II opponents, Cumberland ended their trip with a 5-1 record and momentum heading into GSAC play. Full trip details are listed below:
CCBC Catonsville
Cumberland opened their 2023 campaign at CCBC Catonsville. Last season, the Dukes fell to the Cardinals in their doubleheader in Vineland. This year, the Dukes arrived to avenge that loss and did so in dramatic fashion with a 4-2 victory. In Game 1, Bailey Pennino took the victory for the Dukes as she went the distance, allowing two runs, six hits, and striking out nine batters. Olivia Powers led the Dukes offensively going 3 for 4 with three doubles. Anita Hassen and Bailey Pennino also chipped in with multiple hits with Hassen tallying three stolen bases.
Game 2 provided more dramatics as the Dukes trailed 9-6 late in the game before Madison Sloan drove in the go-ahead run to put the Dukes up for good at 10-9. Karly Smaniotto started the first game of her career and manuevered her way through four innings scattering 6 hits and striking out two. Smaniotto also pitched in offensively going 1 for 4 with an RBI. Anita Hassen, Bailey Pennino, Sayde Nichols, Mollie Reece, and Sloan all collected multiple hits in Game 2 as the Dukes racked up 15 hits total.
Chesapeake College
The Dukes announced themselves in Wye Mills, MD loudly. The Dukes scored five runs in the top of the 1st highlighted by a 2-run HR by Olivia Powers and a 3-run double by Karly Smaniotto. Ashley Brag received her first collegiate start and kept the Skipjacks at bay for the Dukes offense to regain their first-inning swagger. Brag went 3 innings, allowing five runs but walking just one batter. Smaniotto would relieve Brag and pitch two solid innings scattering five hits. Pennino would come in for the victory in relief as she entered in the 6th inning with the scored tied at 8, as she would not allow a hit in her appearance. Mollie Reece would deliver the final blow in the top of the 7th. After a triple by Anita Hassen, Reece drilled a double into the right center gap to take a 9-8 lead that they would not relinquish. Powers and Madison Sloan led the offense with three hits apiece, with Powers depositing two home runs in Game 1.
Cumberland trailed 5-0 in Game 2 before the Dukes bats awoke in the 5th inning. After Anita Hassen drew a walk which was followed by a Mollie Reece single, Olivia Powers drilled a 3-run HR to center field to bring the Dukes within 2. Sayde Nichols would then drive in Arianna Santiago, who was pinch running for Bailey Pennino who walked. Fast forward to the top of the 7th, Nichols would reach base via a single and would take second on a wild pitch. Lazaya Rosario would then deliver a line drive to right field to score Nichols and tie the game at 5. Rosario was pinch hitting for Jordan Spates. Pennino would sit the Skipjacks down in order in the bottom of the 7th to set up the dramatic 8th inning. Anita Hassen would hit a single and an ensuing error would put two Dukes on base. Back to back passed balls would score Hassen and bring Mollie Reece to third, who would then be driven in by a sacrifice fly by Bailey Pennino. Pennino would then close out the 7-5 victory for the Dukes.
Anne Arundel
Game 1 was a letdown for the Dukes. The Riverhawks came out hot scoring 5 runs in the first two innings and the Dukes were nearly no-hit outisde of a solo HR by Bailey Pennino. The Dukes would fall 6-1.
The Dukes bats returned to form in Game 2 as they would score 8 runs in the first three innings and would follow up with three more in the fourth and fifth innings to win 11-1. Pennino would go 4 for 4 with a HR and 4 RBIs, Olivia Powers would go 3 for 4 with 3 runs scored, and Madison Sloan would go 1 for 3 with her first HR of the season. Arianna Santiago went 1 for 2 with an RBI, Abby Pino went 2 for 2 with an RBI, and Sayde Nichols would go 2 for 3 with a run scored and an RBI. Pennino earned the win going 5 innings and striking out 7.