BEAVER FALLS, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson College softball team dropped both ends of a Presidents' Athletic Conference doubleheader to Geneva College on Tuesday afternoon. The Presidents suffered a narrow 7-6 setback in game one before falling by a 9-1 score in game two.
The losses drop W&J to 5-5 in PAC play and 14-16 overall. The doubleheader sweep improves Geneva to 6-4 in the league and 14-14 overall.
Game One Recap – Geneva 7, W&J 6
The Golden Tornadoes opened the scoring with four runs on four hits while also taking advantage of two hit batters in the bottom of the first inning. Marina Manuppelli delivered the big hit of the inning, launching a bases clearing double to deep center field.
W&J would answer with four runs on three hits in the third inning to tie the score. All of the damage was done with two outs. With the bases loaded,
Brooke McCleester (Johnstown, Pa./Conemaugh Valley) drove home a pair with a single and then
Addy Helffrich (Sewickley, Pa./Avonworth) followed with a two-run double to tie the score at 4-4.
After the hosts regained the lead with an unearned run in the bottom of the third inning, W&J answered back when
Taylor Andres (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) doubled down the left field line to place
Rachel Johnson (Orchard Park, N.Y./Orchard Park).
The Presidents would take their first lead in the top of the fifth inning when
Sarah Labbe (Belgrade, Maine/Messalonksee) laid down the perfect squeeze bunt to score McCleester and give W&J a 6-5 advantage.
However, the lead was short-lived as Geneva would tie the score in the bottom of the frame with a two-out RBI double off the center field fence by Manuppelli.
Geneva manufactured the eventual game-winning run in the bottom of the sixth. After a leadoff walk, the Golden Tornadoes used a successful steal attempt to move a runner into scoring position with no outs. Eventually a sacrifice fly would give Geneva a 7-6 lead. A lineout into a double play ended the Presidents hope for a rally in the seventh.
Helffrich and Andres tallied two hits apiece to lead the offense. Andres took the loss, allowing seven runs (six earned) on eight hits in six innings of work.
Game Two Recap – Geneva 9, W&J 1 (5 Innings)
W&J opened the scoring in game two when
Alisha Kulka (Hanover, Pa./South Western) scored
Kristen Fuertes (West Chester, Pa./West Chester) on an RBI infield single.
Geneva would bounce back in a big way, scoring four runs in the bottom of the frame to take a 4-1 lead.
The GT's added a run in the fourth inning on an inside-the-park home run to left field. Geneva wrapped up the PAC victory with four runs in the fifth inning to inflict the mercy rule at 9-1.
Fuertes started in the circle and suffered the loss in game two. The loss drops Fuertes' record to 8-7 for the season.
W&J hosts first place Saint Vincent for a PAC doubleheader on Thursday, April 18 at Brooks Park. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
