WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson College Softball team opened its 2025 season with a win against the visiting Mount Aloysius Mounties on Tuesday afternoon at Brooks Park.
 
Aliya Schraeder (McDonald, Pa./South Fayette), Kyra Blauth (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills), Sydney VanNess (Warren, Ohio/Howland) and Deanna Gratton (Monroeville, Pa./Gateway) all notched two hits in the game one win. Blauth and Julia DiPietro-Harvey (Pittsburgh, Pa./Taylor Allderdice) each led with two RBI apiece.
 
After holding the Mounties scoreless for the top of the first inning the Presidents put up three in the bottom half of the inning.
 
After freshman Maddie Luxenberger (Montoursville, Pa./Loyalsock Township) drew a walk, Schraeder hit an infield single to put runners on first and second. Another walk drawn by Mirranda Rinehart (Washington, Pa./Trinity) loaded the bases for the Red & Black.
 
Blauth took advantage of the full bases in the next play launching a single up the middle that scored M. Luxenberger and Schraeder, 2-0, followed by a sacrifice fly by DiPietro-Harvey that scored Rinehart to put the Presidents up 3-0 before a final out ended the inning.
 
Mount Aloysius pushed their first runs across the board in the top of the third inning, cutting the deficit to 3-2 with two singles and a double in the frame.
 
The Presidents held the Mounties scoreless for the next three innings while they tacked on a tally in the bottom of the fourth on a single to right field from Schraeder that pushed in a run, 4-2.
 
Blauth kicked things off in the bottom of the fifth with a leadoff single up the middle. A single to left field by VanNess pushed Blauth to second. Gratton recorded an RBI as her single to right center scored Blauth and moved VanNess to third. Hannah Allen (Harrison City, Pa./Penn Trafford) rocketed a single through the left side to score the second run of the inning before M. Luxenberger singled up the middle to score the third and final run in the frame putting the Red & Black up 7-2.
 
Rinehart was the final President to cross home plate for the Presidents in the bottom of the sixth inning.
 
The Mounties put up two in the final frame, but W&J's lead was too great to overcome as they fell to the Presidents by an 8-4 score.
 
Junior pitcher Kaylee Witner (Freeland, Pa./MMI Preparatory School) recorded the win in the circle for W&J. Witner pitched all seven innings, striking out four and only allowing two earned runs in the complete game outing.