Lady Wolverines split pair in PAC, home opener

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GROVE CITY, PA, April 4, 2001--Junior SS Stephanie Murphy (Munroe Falls, OH/Stow-Munroe Falls) and sophomore CF Ellie Smith (Grove City, PA/Grove City) collected four hits apiece as the Grove City College softball team (3-5, 1-1 PAC) split its conference opener against rival Thiel College (11-9, 1-1 PAC) Wednesday afternoon.  The Lady Wolverines won their home opener, 9-6, before falling 7-4 in the nightcap.

Grove City came out smoking in the first game, posting three runs in each of the first two innings on seven hits.  Thiel scored a run in the first and added five in the third to tie the game, 6-6, before the Lady Wolverines went ahead for good with three runs in the sixth.  Senior LF Jessie Renaldo (Brookville, PA/Brookville) picked up the game-winning RBI with a single up the middle, plating sophomore 3B Elena Cecchini (Avella, PA/Avella), who reached on an error to open the inning.  Smith singled in the frame and came around to score her third run of the game.  Murphy, who drove in a pair of runs with a double in the second inning, also singled and scored in the sixth.  Freshman 2B Allison Atwood (Warren, PA/Warren) contributed two hits in the victory, including a double.

Junior Laura LeVake (Faribault, MN/Faribault) picked up her first win of the season (1-2), striking out five over seven complete.  LeVake surrendered eights hits and walked two.

The Lady Wolverines fell behind 5-1 in the second game before senior RF Megan Wittenwyler (Des Moines, IA/Dowling) highlighted a three-run fifth with a two-RBI triple to the wall in left.  The Lady Cats closed the scoring with two runs in their next at-bat, handing GCC its third consecutive split. 

Freshman P Molly Forney (Annville, PA/Annville-Cleona) took the loss (1-1), despite striking out five over six innings.  Forney scattered seven hits and walked one.

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