Hawks Scorch Garrett Lakers

The College of Southern Maryland Hawks softball team swept their doubleheader against the Garrett College Lakers on March 13. The Hawks won both games 19-0 in five innings.

Game 1

The Hawks launched themselves ahead 10-0 in the first inning, scoring all of their runs with two outs.

Sophomore Skylar Clark drove in the first two runs in the first with a double. She then scored on a single from freshman Haley Wood to put CSM ahead 3-0. Four consecutive hits brought home a run each to give the Hawks a 7-0 lead. A double from freshman Laila Brooks followed up by a single from freshman Devin Ruble plated the final three runs of the inning.

CSM scored at least one run every inning thereafter, with five in the second, one in the third, and three in the fourth.

Sophomore Kaitlyn Culbert led CSM with a four-RBI game, going 5-5 at the plate and scoring three runs.

Brooks and Clark added three RBIs each. Every CSM batter collected at least one RBI.

Clark was dominant on the mound as well, surrendering only one hit and two walks over five innings while striking out 12 Garrett batters.

Game 2

In Game 2, the Hawks posted a 10-run inning again, this time in the second inning.

Three straight walks to lead off the inning loaded the bases for Clark, who doubled to center field to clear the bases and put CSM up 7-0. Ruble followed with a two-run home run to put the Hawks ahead 9-0. A bases-loaded single from freshman Jenna Clark made it 10-0, and another single from Culbert made it 12-0. Sophomore Rachel Polk continued the offensive onslaught with her first ever home run, an inside-the-park home run to make it 14-0.

"Honestly, when it left the bat I was like, 'Dang, finally I was able to square something up today!'," Polk said. "Then as I was rounding the bags I saw [assistant coach Amber Whelan's] face as she was telling me, 'Go two,' and I was like, 'Oh shoot, wheels on, this might be the one.' Then I just was thinking the whole time, 'This might be your last doubleheader of the season, might as well make it a good one.' Laila and I actually had said before the games, 'If I hit a homer today it's a sign today's it and we're going out with a bang,' so I was really just so excited to get back in the dugout and be like what the heck are we psychic or what."

The Hawks scored at least one run in every inning of Game 2 also. They plated four runs in the first, 10 in the second, three in the third, and two in the fourth.

Clark finished with a team-high four RBIs, going 2-3 at the dish with two doubles, one walk, and two runs scored. Ruble and Wood provided three RBIs apiece, and Culbert, Polk, freshman Rachel Cullison, and Clark each registered two RBIs. Polk had a team-high four runs scored and three walks.

Clark pitched another complete game, striking out nine Garrett hitters while only giving up two hits and three walks.