April 2, 2011

Grove City splits with W&J

GROVE CITY, Pa. -- The Grove City College softball team opened Presidents' Athletic Conference play Saturday afternoon by splitting a doubleheader with visiting Washington & Jefferson. Grove City (8-6, 1-1 PAC) rallied for a 6-4 win in the opener and W&J held on for a 2-1 win in Game Two.

Grove City trailed 3-2 entering the bottom of the sixth but surged ahead with a four-run outburst. Sophomore third baseman Amanda Sheppeck (Butler, Pa./Knoch) scored the tying run on a wild pitch and with two outs, sophomore pitcher Lauren Clarke (Lower Burrell, Pa./Burrell) put the Wolverines ahead by roping a two-run double. Clarke's double drove in senior shortstop Christine Slater (Aliquippa, Pa./Center) and junior right fielder Grace Murtoff (Carlisle, Pa./Boiling Springs).

Sophomore catcher Olivia Klimek (Oakdale, Pa./South Fayette) closed the Wolverines' scoring by singling in Clarke.

Sheppeck went 2 for 3 with two runs scored. Clarke (6-2) earned the pitching win by allowing three earned runs in 6 2/3 total innings. Freshman pitcher Casey Schmidt (Woodbine, Md./Glenelg) pitched one-third of an inning in the seventh.

Grove City, the designated visiting team in Game Two, trailed 2-0 entering the top of the seventh in the nightcap. Murtoff drove in senior pitcher Lauren Pennell (Zelienople, Pa./Seneca Valley) with a two-out single, pulling the Wolverines to within a run. However, Grove City stranded the tying and go-ahead runs on base.

Sheppeck doubled for the Wolverines, who had five hits. Pennell fired a complete game for Grove City, allowing just six hits and two runs in six innings.

Pennell became Grove City's career leader in innings pitched with 483 1/3, surpassing the mark of 480 2/3 that Michelle Kirin established from 1987 to 1990.

Grove City will host Penn State Beaver Monday at 3:30 in a non-conference doubleheader.

Game One Box Score            Game Two Box Score

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