Beaver Falls, PA - In college softball, pitching is everything. When it comes to the Geneva College softball team, it boasts one of the finest pitchers in the country. Junior hurler Julie DiLonardo claimed NCCAA national player of the week honors for her outstanding numbers in four games last week. DiLonardo enjoyed a perfect 3-0 record in four outings that consisted of 26.1 innings of work. Without allowing an earned run in those 26+ innings, DiLonardo also struck out 20 batters.
She threw nine innings of scoreless relief in Geneva′s 13-inning marathon victory over Waynesburg on Saturday. She retired 17 consecutive batters during that outing. She allowed only ten hits last week including a two-hit complete game, shut-out victory over Thiel College.
For the season, DiLonardo is 19-7 with a conference leading 107 strikeouts and an equally impressive 1.52 ERA. She has helped lead Geneva to a 25-11 overall record and will look to continue her outstanding season as the Golden Tornadoes head to Troutville, VA next week to compete in the NCCAA national tournament. It will be the first visit to the national tournament for Geneva College in five years.
A year ago, DiLonardo broke Geneva′s single season record with 154 strikeouts while matching the single season mark with 21 victories.
Geneva College is a comprehensive Christian college of the arts, sciences and professional studies. Founded in the tradition of the Reformed Christian faith, Geneva prepares students to serve Christ in all areas of society: work, family and the church. Geneva College′s philosophy of education is based on the Foundational Concepts of Christian Higher Education. Geneva is a founding member of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU).