MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The W softball had to wait a day to begin play on its Spring Trip due to weather, but finally got into action on Tuesday with a tough 2-1 loss to King's College (Pa.) and a 4-0 win over Penn State-Abington.
 
In game one of the day versus the Monarchs, MUW's Avery Byerley was engaged in a tough pitcher's duel in which none of the runs scored by either team were earned. After King's tallied in the first, Riley Phillips suicide squeeze bunt in the third plated Kaitlyn Bearley with the equalizer, 1-1.
 
The game remained scoreless the next three frames, until the Monarchs took advantage of an MUW miscue. And, as it turned out, it was Byerley's mistake on defense that was the difference.
 
King's led off the seventh with a single. The second batter laid down a sacrifice bunt back to Byerley. But on the throw to first, Byerley's toss sailed down the right-field line, allowing the runner from first to score what would be the deciding run, 2-1.
 
The W was outhit by King's, 6-4. Thirdbaseman Chloe McClain was 2-for-3 to lead the Owls' attack.
 
In the nightcap versus PSU-Abington, MUW got a brilliant pitching effort from newcomer Phallyn Clark.
 
Clark improved her personal record to 3-1 on the year with a 7.0 inning complete game shutout. Clark had a perfect game going for 4.1 innings, when the Lions finally got a hit. Overall, Clark scattered four hits and allowed just two PSUA runners to even reach second base. She struck out three and waked one (that with two out in the seventh).
 
Freshman designated player Brooklyn Rhodes led the Owls' nine-hit assault by going 3-for-3, with two doubles. Rhodes drove in three of MUW's four runs.
 
Senior catcher Ashton Farnell also had a multi-hit game, going 2-for-3 with MUW's other run batted in. Emilee Slade was 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI, as well.
 
The W resumes play in Myrtle Beach on Thursday versus Dickinson College (12 p.m. CT) and Vermont State-Castleton (2 p.m. CT).