CLERMONT, Fla. -- Junior first baseman
Laura Ryder (Sewickley, Pa./North Allegheny) delivered a clutch RBI triple to lift the W&J softball team to a 3-2 win over The Catholic University of America Wednesday afternoon at Hancock Park complex in Clermont, Fla. The win helped the Presidents bounce back from a 5-1 loss to Millsaps College earlier in the day.
Game One Recap – Millsaps 5, W&J 1
After W&J recorded back-to-back outs in the bottom of the first, Millsaps used four straight hits to scratch across a pair of runs. Neither team could muster any offense through the next three innings before the Majors scored three more runs in the fifth.
The Presidents avoided the shutout in the seventh with a run in the seventh.
Addy Helffrich (Sewickley, Pa./Avonworth) singled and scored on a double to deep left center by
Brooke Lapia (Oakdale, Pa./Chartiers Valley) to close the score at 5-1.
Taylor Andres started and suffered the loss in the circle. The senior worked 4.2 innings, allowing five runs on seven hits.
Game Two Recap – W&J 3, The Catholic University of America 2
W&J took an early lead when Helffrich singled to right to score
Brooke McCleester (Johnstown, Pa./Conemaugh Valley). Helffrich eventually would score from third on a wild pitch to give the Presidents a 2-0 edge after two innings. CUA countered with back-to-back two out hits to cut the deficit to 2-1 in the third inning.
The Cardinals again used two-out magic, tying the game with an RBI single to even things at 2-2 entering the seventh inning.
McCleester started the rally in the seventh, singling up the middle to give W&J a leadoff baserunner. After a lineout for the first out, Ryder smacked a run-scoring triple to right field to plate McCleester.
Kristen Fuertes (West Chester, Pa./West Chester) retired Catholic in order in the seventh to nail down the win for the Presidents. Fuertes tossed a gem to improve her record to 3-1 in the circle. The junior allowed two runs on four hits in 7.0 innings of work. Fuertes struck out one and walked none in the victory.
The split puts W&J at 4-4 overall for the 2019 season. The Presidents wrap up their Spring Break trip with a pair of games on Thursday, March 14. W&J takes on North Park University (12:15 p.m.) and Olivet College (2:30 p.m.) in Leesburg, Fla. to conclude the trip.
