Dialog reporter
CLAYMONT – Abby Cunningham fired a six-hit shutout, and Padua rebounded from a loss on Saturday with a 6-0 win in nonconference softball over Archmere on May 1 in Claymont.
Cunningham retired the first eight batters she faced, three by strikeout, and did not allow a base hit until the fourth, when two Auks picked up knocks. Archmere had two runners in that inning and in the fifth, but the Pandas did not allow the hosts to score.
Archmere’s best chance came in the fourth, when Lauren Simpson walked with two outs. The Auks’ next batter, Annie Penrod, sent a rocket toward the fence in deep center field, but the Pandas’ Gabriela Frabizzio made a sensational over-the-shoulder running catch to end the inning.
Auks pitcher Kayla Murray retired Padua in order in the first, but the Pandas would begin their scoring in the second. With one out, Katie Twardowski and Alex Musial smacked back-to-back doubles to make it 1-0.
They tacked on two unearned runs in the fourth. Cunningham and Musial singled and were at first and second with two outs when Nadia Baker reached on a fielding error that allowed two runs to score.
The Pandas put it out of reach two innings later. Baker was at second with two outs and came around on a single by Amelia Giordano that barely eluded diving Auks first baseman Maggie Brown. Caitlin Baxter then ripped a triple to the fence in right, knocking in Giordano. Padua added one more in the seventh.
Musial finished with three hits for the Pandas, who improved to 8-3. They take on St. Elizabeth on Wednesday at 4:15 p.m. at Midway Softball Complex in the team’s senior game.
For the Auks, Brown led the way with two hits. Archmere (4-8) will try to turn its fortunes around on Tuesday when Newark Charter visits for a 3:45 p.m. start.
