WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson softball team concluded its 2018 season on Tuesday, May 1, as it dropped both games of a doubleheader to Muskingum by scores of 7-6 and 8-4.
 
The Presidents finished the season with a record of 13-21 overall.
 
Down 1-0 in the first inning, Rachel Johnson (Orchard Park, N.Y./Orchard Park) doubled to lead off the inning and then moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Brooke McCleester (Johnstown, Pa./Conemaugh Valley). Taylor Andres (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) plated Johnson with a double to left center in the next at-bat before Danielle Kochka (Monroeville, Pa./Gateway) singled to left and an error by the left fielder allowed Andres time to scurry home and take a 2-1 lead.
 
After a scoreless second, Muskingum plated four runs in the top of the third to regain the lead. The Presidents looked to answer as singles by McCleester and Andres put runners on the corners to start the bottom frame. After a groundout, Jamie Smith (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) singled to right center and drove in McCleester to put the deficit at two.
 
The Presidents saw Muskingum add on a pair of runs in the top of the fifth before getting one back themselves in the bottom half. McCleester led off with a double and then was once again plated by Smith, this time by a double to left field.
 
With the score at 7-4 in the bottom of the sixth, W&J led off the inning with a hit-by-pitch and two singles to load the bases before a single by Johnson plated Brooke Lapia (Oakdale, Pa./Chartiers Valley). A fielder's choice scored Megan Staab (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) and brought W&J to within one, but that would be as close at it got as the final three batters were set down in order to end the game, 7-6.
 
In game two, the Presidents trailed 8-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth. Johnson led off the inning with a single, and then moved to third on a double by Smith two batters later. Addy Helffrich (Sewickley, Pa./Avonworth) knocked in a run with a single to left, putting runners on the corners. Kochka then drove a ball through the left side for a single, allowing Helffrich to move to third. Helffrich came across home on the play when the left fielder misplayed the grounder, letting Kochka moved up to second. A wild pitch moved her to third, and then Lapia drove her in with a single and put the final score at 8-4.
 
Johnson, McCleester, Andres and Smith all led the team with a pair of hits in game one, and accounted for all six of the Presidents runs. McCleester also tallied a game-high two doubles.
 
In game two, Kochka and Lapia were the multi-hit players with two apiece while also driving in a run each.
 
With her three hits today, Johnson finished the season with 61 hits, the second most in a single season in program history behind Kelsey Cunningham's 62 in 2013. Johnson also finished the year with 17 stolen bases, the most in a single season since Amanda Howard also swiped 17 bags in 2008.
 
Andres started game one in the circle and Kristin Fuertes (West Chester, Pa./West Chester) got the nod in game two as both pitchers were tabbed with a loss on the day.