FREDERICK, Md. – The Albright Lions softball team was swept by Hood in a MAC Commonwealth doubleheader on Monday afternoon. The Lions were edged 9-7 in game one before falling 6-2 in the second game.
 
With the losses, the Lions drop to 0-8 overall on the season and in MAC Commonwealth play. Meanwhile, the Blazers improve to 5-7 overall and 4-4 in conference play.
 
GAME ONE
The Lions put runners on first and second base following a pair of one-out singles to begin the top of the first inning. However, a foul out and a caught stealing ended the threat. Hood opened the bottom of the first by putting runners on second and third base with no outs, and cashed in with a pair of singles to go up 2-0. Junior pitcher Laura Costello did not allow further damage as she recorded three-straight outs with two coming from strikeouts. Following a 1-2-3 inning from the Lions, the Blazers extended its lead to 5-0 after taking advantage of four errors during the bottom of the second. Albright recorded the first two outs of the inning before Hood strung together a single and a double to grab its first run. Three-straight Blazers reached on errors to complete the three-run inning. Hood made it a 6-0 game in the bottom of the third after grabbing a run off a two-run double. Albright began to battle back in the top of the fifth as they opened the inning by putting runners on first and second. First-year Jaime Dagostino put the Lions on the board with a two-run double to left center to make it a 6-2 game. Senior Kaitlyn Chell cut the deficit down to 6-4 after delivering a two-out two-run single to left field. However, the Blazers responded with three runs on three hits to go up 9-4 in the bottom of the fifth. Hood loaded the bases with one out before bringing home every single runner that initially reached base. Albright would not go away as the Lions loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the sixth. Dagostino came through for the Lions again as she roped a two-run single to center to make it a 9-6 game. First-year Veronica Heckman followed two batters later with a double to cut the deficit down to 9-7. With runners on second and third, the Lions were unable to push more runs across. The Blazers retired the Lions in order in the top of the seventh to close out the game.
 
GAME TWO
Much like game one, the Lions initially put runners on first and second base with one out in the top of the first. A ground out advanced the runners to second and third before a pop out ended the threat. The Lions took their first lead of the game at 1-0 in the top of the second as Dagostino brought home sophomore Emily Lucier with a two-out single. Heckman led off the top of the third with a double and was advanced to third on a ground out. Chell extended the Lions lead to 2-0 after bringing home Heckman with a sacrifice fly. The Blazers responded in the bottom of the third by sending 10 batters to the plate and scoring four runs off three hits to go up 4-2. Albright's best chance to cut into the Blazer lead came in the top of the fifth as they put runners on first and second base with one out. Unfortunately for the Lions, a pair of fly outs stalled the runners to end the frame. Hood extended its lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the fifth following a walk and a double. Albright used a double play from a lineout to keep a Blazer runner on third, but Hood grabbed a two-out single to make it a 6-2 game. The Lions were retired in order during the top of the sixth just before the game was called due to darkness.
 
Dagostino went 2-of-3 from the plate in game on after originally pinch-hitting in game one, and drove in four RBI's between the two games. Heckman went 5-of-7 combined from the plate with one RBI after going 3-of-3 in game two. Sophomore Alexis Colon went 3-of-3 from the plate in game one and scored two runs. Costello suffered both losses on the day and went the distance in game one. She allowed 11 hits on nine runs (three earned) and struck out four batters in game one. Cailyn Barthlow powered the Blazer offense in game one by going 4-of-4 from the plate with two RBIs.
 
The Lions will return to action on Friday, April 2^nd as they will host Lebanon Valley for a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.