Softball Falls to North Dakota State and Merrimack on Saturday

Saturday, February 25

Auburn, Ala.

11 a.m. ET/10 a.m. CT

Brown University

1-2

North Dakota State

5-6

North Dakota State

Brown

Photo by: Grayson Belanger

Softball Falls to North Dakota State and Merrimack on Saturday

2/25/2023 4:31:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

AUBURN, Ala. - Brown softball fell in two games on Saturday at the Auburn Plainsman Invitational. Brown (1-3) dropped contests to North Dakota State (6-0) and Merrimack (5-4).

Four different Bears finished the day with two hits and Laurel Moody hit the first home run of the season for the Bears.

Game 1: North Dakota State 6, Brown 0
Jasmine Hsiao had two hits but the Bears managed just one other hit, coming from Moe Kastens, in a 6-0 loss to North Dakota State to start the day.

North Dakota State got the scoring going early with two runs in the first off starter Jodie Aguirre (1-1).

Brown threatened in the second with back-to-back singles by Hsiao and Kastens. After a lineout, a walk by Nikki Tanguay loaded the bases but a strikeout ended the inning.

The Bison broke open the game in the third with four runs, all coming with one out, chasing Aguirre from the game.

Hsiao doubled in the fourth and in the sixth, Brianna Rodriguez got to second after an error and ground out but Brown could not get a run across.

Erin Elgas delivered 4.1 innings of shutout ball in relief, allowing just one hit and two walks.

Game 2: Merrimack 5, Brown 4
Laurel Moody hit her first home run of the season and three Bears finished with two hits but Brown could not complete the comeback, falling to Merrimack on Saturday afternoon.

Moody, Julia Gubner and Dara English all had two hits and Meghan Gormley drove in two.

Niki Kim started the game getting hit by a pitch and then stole second to get into scoring position. With one out, Kim moved to third on a groundout by Brianna Rodriguez. During the next at bat, Kim scored on a passed ball to give Brown the 1-0 lead.

Merrimack responded in the bottom of the inning with a three-run home run off starter Annie Finch (0-1).

Moody responded with a solo shot to start the top of the second to center field. Her first home run of the season.

The game remained 3-2 until the bottom of the third when Merrimack picked up a two-out, two-run single to go ahead 5-2.

In the top of the fifth, Brown started the inning with a walk by Gubner and a double from English. After a flyout to center, Moe Kastens walked to load the bases. Gormley delivered a single to left to score two and make it a one-run game. Brown stranded the tying run with two-straight outs to remain down one.

The Bears threatened again in the sixth after Moody singled and Leah Carey stole second after running for Moody. Gubner doubled to left, moving Carey to third but Merrimack again stranded the two Bears to keep the score 5-4.

Brown's final chance came in the seventh with a two-out double by Rodriguez but a groundout ended the game.

In her first collegiate start, Finch went five innings and struck out eight. Alexis Guevara entered the game in relief throwing one inning and striking out two.

UP NEXT
Brown will close out play at the Plainsman Invitational with a game against North Dakota State on Sunday beginning at 10 a.m. ET.

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