April 25, 2009 - Geneva College
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April 25, 2009

Picture of April 25, 2009

April 25, 2009

CONTACT: Van Zanic

(724) 847-6886

vgzanic@geneva.edu

NCCAA NATIONAL DREAMS DASHED WITH LOSSES TO MT. VERNON

Mount Vernon, OH - Geneva′s softball team learned a valuable lesson on Saturday which is that fortunes can change in an instant in athletics. The Golden Tornadoes seemed well on their way to taking game one of their NCCAA Eastern Regional game but watched Mt. Vernon Nazarene score three runs after two outs in the seventh inning to snatch the decision 4-3. The Cougars continued their offensive onslaught in game two with a 12-6 decision. The doubleheader loss moved Geneva to 23-15 on the season and cost them a trip to West Palm Beach, FL for the NCCAA national tournament.

Game one set up to be a pitcher′s duel and it was just that for the first five innings with neither team crossing home plate. Geneva broke the scoreless tie in the top of the sixth on an RBI double from Samantha Bautista. Mt. Vernon quickly answered with a run in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game at 1-1. Michawn Rich connected on a two-run homer in the top of the seventh to extend the lead to 3-1 before Mt. Vernon rallied. A hit batter sandwiched between a pair of Ashley Archer strikeouts had the Golden Tornadoes on the brink of victory. The Cougars put together four consecutive singles to put three runs on the board for what turned out to be a heartbreaking Geneva loss.

Rich, Bautista and Amy Pearce each collected two hits to lead Geneva′s eight hit attack in game one. Mt. Vernon put four runs on the board in the third inning of game two to jump out to a 4-0 lead. The Golden Tornadoes answered with a five-spot in the fourth inning to regain the lead. Allison Hartwell had a three-run double and Michawn Rich followed with a two-run double to give Geneva a short-lived lead. Mt. Vernon posted four more runs in each of the next two innings to take control of the game.

Ashley Archer took the loss in game one despite a solid seven inning effort. She struck out six in the loss and fell to 12-7 on the season. Rebekah Wahl lasted only 3 2/3 innings in game two and was saddled with the loss after allowing five earned runs on seven hits.

Geneva will close out the 2009 season on Tuesday as it hosts Saint Vincent College at the Merriman Athletic Complex.

Apr 25, 2009