April 23, 2009

Grove City splits at Thiel

GREENVILLE, Pa. -- The Grove City College softball team wrapped up Presidents' Athletic Conference play Thursday afternoon by splitting a doubleheader with host Thiel. Grove City (15-18, 7-7 PAC) won the opener 9-0. Thiel rebounded for a 9-4 win in Game Two.

In Game One, Grove City stormed out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning. Sophomore third baseman Christine Slater (Aliquippa, Pa./Center) cracked a two-run double while sophomore pitcher Lauren Pennell (Zelienople, Pa./Seneca Valey) and senior first baseman Kelley Smith (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shaler) added run-scoring singles.

Sophomore left fielder Brittany Young (Wellsboro, Pa./Wellsboro) helped sew up the five-inning win with a two-run single in the top of the fifth.

Slater and Smith both went 2 for 3 while freshman shortstop Amanda Furmage (Conneaut, Ohio/Conneaut) doubled and scored two runs.

Pennell fired a three-hit shutout to earn the win. It is her fifth shutout of the season. She fanned two and walked one.

In Game Two, Slater's RBI double helped Grove City take a 2-0 lead. Thiel (12-22, 4-8 PAC) rebounded and took a 7-2 lead in the fifth. Grove City slashed the lead to 7-4 in the bottom half of the inning, though, as junior center fielder Heidi Lohr (Lititz, Pa./Lancaster Catholic) roped a two-run triple that scored senior right fielder Rachael Risbon (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum) and freshman DH Elizabeth Covatto (Beaver, Pa./Beaver).

Senior second baseman Amy Fisher (Streetsboro, Ohio/Cuyahoga Valley Christian) went 3 for 3 in the nightcap while Lohr had a pair of hits.

Pennell took the defeat after allowing seven earned runs in five innings. Fisher yielded two runs in two innings in the circle.

Grove City's 7-7 conference record is the program's best since the 2004 team went 7-3 in PAC play. The Wolverines return to action Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. against visiting Penn State Behrend.

Game One Box Score            Game Two Box Score

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