SOFTBALL
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Freshman shortstop Megan Vanderburgh (Clearfield) made an auspicious debut as the leadoff batter for the Shenandoah (Va.) Hornets in their season-opening doubleheader against Salem (N.C.) College at Spirits Field Sunday.
Vanderburgh socked two hits in each game, including a double that plated Shenandoah’s run in a 11-1 Mercy Rule nightcap loss.
Salem (3-3-2) also won the opener 7-2.
* * * * *
WINTER GARDEN, Fla. — Freshman pitcher/outfielder Rachel Hoffman (Clearfield) got the nod to start in the circle for the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown first-year team’s inaugural game Sunday morning.
The right-hander hurled a complete game seven-hitter with four strikeouts, but the Mountain Cats were shut out 7-0 by the University of Charleston (W.Va.) in their National Training Center Spring Games opener at Foundation Academy Field 3.
UPJ lost 7-2 to Findlay (Ohio) later in the day.
* * * * * * * * * *
BASEBALL
WILSON, N.C. — Senior second baseman Derek Danver (Clearfield) had three hits and drove in a run as Clarion notched its first victory, 6-3, against Pitt-Johnstown in the 2015 Dinwiddie/Colonial Heights Challenge Sunday afternoon.
Danver, who is one of the Golden Eagles’ four captains, also had a single and drew a walk as the designated hitter in an earlier 3-1 loss to Kutztown.
He was 1-for-5 with one walk Saturday when Clarion was swept by East Stroudsburg.
East Stroudsburg was ranked No. 6 and Kutztown No. 8 in the latest National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Division II Atlantic Region Poll.
Danver has been a two-year starter for Clarion, hitting .269 (32-for-119) with three doubles, two triples, 10 runs batted in and 12 runs scored in 38 games last spring and .234 (22-for-94) with three doubles, one home run, seven RBIs and 10 runs in 36 games in 2013.
12-28 and 9-14 PSAC west last year.
In his freshman season at Penn State Altoona, Danver was one of the top hitters with a .348 average (47-for-135), nine doubles and one home run. He drove in a team-high 37 runs.
* * * * *
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — Freshman second baseman Jarrett Fulmer (Clearfield) hit safely in two of the three games he started and sophomore pitcher Kurtis Krise (Clearfield) made one appearance in relief for Penn State Altoona at the RussMat Central Florida Invitational over the weekend.
Fulmer walked and scored a run in the opener and singled for an RBI in the second game of a twinbill where the Lions were dropped by Waynesburg, 6-2 and 8-2, at Lake Myrtle Park in Auburndale Saturday morning.
On Sunday, Fulmer had a run-scoring single and Krise worked 1.1 innings against Penn State Abington at Chain o’ Lakes Park as the Lions broke into the win column, 16-15.
Penn State Altoona (2-3) also won the second game, 4-2.
Fulmer is hitting .250 with three singles and two RBIs in four games.
Krise was 3-2 with a team-best 4.54 earned run average for the 17-25 Lions last year. The right-hander made eight appearances with three complete games in six starts. In 37.2 innings, recorded 20 strikeouts and issued 10 walks.
