RALEIGH, N.C. (February 25, 2022) – The Denison University softball team dropped it first two games of the new 2022 season on Friday at the Grand Slam Triangle Softball Classic. The Big Red fell 11-6 to Pfeiffer University in their season opener before falling 8-0 in five innings against No. 14-ranked Piedmont University.
 
Game 1 (Denison 6, Pfeiffer 11):

• Pfeiffer struck first in the top of the first inning against freshman pitcher Sydney Silverstein with a leadoff single up the middle followed by a stolen base, a sacrifice bunt and then a sacrifice fly to right field.
• In the bottom of the third inning, Denison got its first hit of the game on a leadoff double to right center field by senior Allie Kovatch, who then advanced to third on the ensuing single to right field by freshman Jacqui Abogado to chase the Falcons' starting pitcher.
• The next batter, senior Claire Powell, then hit a hard single to third base to score Kovatch and get the Big Red on the scoreboard.
• The potential big inning for Denison continued as junior Maggie Ballentine walked to load the bases, and then senior Sam Kline followed with an RBI-single up the middle to give the Big Red their first lead of the season at 2-1, still with nobody out in the inning.
• Then after a pair of fielder's choices, freshman Annabelle Calderon doubled to right center field to score Kline and Clara Wolff and make it 4-1 Big Red.
• The bottom of the third inning ended with four runs on five hits for Denison, but their lead, however, would not hold up as in the top of the fifth inning, Pfeiffer scored twice to make it a one-run game before a two-out go-ahead grand slam to straightaway center field put the Falcons in front 7-4. Pfeiffer finished with six runs on only one hit in the inning.
• The Big Red made their deficit a little bit more manageable in the bottom of the fifth inning as the second two-run double of the game by Calderon made it only a one-run game at 7-6, but unfortunately Pfeiffer answered with two more runs in the top of the sixth inning and two more in the top of the seventh inning as the Falcons finished with 10 runs on only four hits over the final three innings.
• Calderon (2-for-4 with 4 RBI's) was the lone Big Red player with two hits in game one while in the circle, Silverstein (0-1) allowed only one earned run in her collegiate debut.

 
Game 2 (Denison 0, No. 14 Piedmont 8):

• The Lions scored four runs on four hits in the top of the first inning and then scored four more runs on three hits in the top of the third inning to bring the run rule into play.
• To lead off the top of the second inning, Calderon came up with her third double of the day, but then after getting to third base with one out, she would be stranded.
• In the top of the fifth inning, senior Caitlin Ellwanger led off with a single down the right field line, and then the pinch runner, Kovatch, stole second and advanced to third with two outs, but the Big Red were unable to push the run across to keep the game going.
• Piedmont starting pitcher Martina Maloch limited the Big Red to just four hits and did not walk anybody.

 
The Big Red will return to the Grand Slam Triangle Classic on Saturday, February 26, to play tournament host William Peace University at 12:30 p.m., followed by Carnegie Mellon University at 3 p.m.