April 16, 2009
CONTACT: Van Zanic
Sports Information Director
(724) 847-6886
PAIR OF ONE RUN VICTORIES GIVE GENEVA SWEEP OVER HIRAM
Beaver Falls, PA - The Geneva College softball team has certainly seen its share of heartbreaking losses this season. On Thursday, the Golden Tornadoes turned the tables with a pair of tight victories of its own against Hiram College by the scores of 3-2 and 7-6. The doubleheader sweep moved Geneva′s record to 19-11, including three straight victories.
Game one seemed to be well in control for Geneva mostly because of the dominant pitching performance by Rebekah Wahl. Wahl pitched five innings of shut-out ball before handing the game over to Ashley Archer. Wahl allowed just three hits in her five innings of work. She struck out seven in picking up her sixth victory of the season. Archer allowed a pair of unearned runs in picking up her second save of the year. Geneva used three solo home runs for all of its offense. Amy Pearce hit her fourth of the season to open the scoring in the fourth. Martha Adams followed with a solo shot in the fifth and Sam Bautista connected on her second home run in as many games to extend the lead to 3-0 in the sixth. Hiram left a pair of runners on base, including the tying run on second when Archer picked up her second strikeout to close out game one.
Geneva had seven hits in game including a pair from Amy Pearce, who reached base in six of her seven plate appearances on the day.
Game two took extra innings to decide before the Golden Tornadoes came away with the game winner in the bottom of the eighth. The Golden Tornadoes got on the board with a two-spot in the first inning. Michawn Rich scored on a wild pitch and Lyndsay Piette knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly. A three-run homer for Hiram gave the Terriers a 3-2 lead in the second inning. Geneva responded with solo runs in the third and fourth innings. Martha Adams connected on an RBI triple and Leanne Abate delivered an RBI double to give Geneva its lead back.
Hiram took back control and carried a 6-4 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning. Adriane Blake hit a solo homer to get Geneva to within a run and then Sam Bautista delivered a two-out RBI single to tie the game. In the bottom of the eighth, Adams executed a perfect bunt base hit that scored Abate with the winning run. Julie DiLonardo pitched three innings in relief to earn her second victory of the season. Geneva had nine hits in the night cap including a pair from Rich and Adams.
The Golden Tornadoes welcome Thomas More to campus for a PAC doubleheader on Friday. Geneva travels to Chatham on Saturday afternoon.
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