April 7, 2011

Grove City humbles Allegheny

GROVE CITY, Pa. -- The Grove City College softball team improved to 12-6 overall Thursday afternoon by sweeping a doubleheader with visiting Allegheny in non-conference action at College Field. Grove City earned a 3-2 win in the opener and then secured a 3-1 victory in the nightcap.

In Game One, Grove City trailed 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth but surged ahead when senior first baseman Lauren Pennell (Zelienople, Pa./Seneca Valley) roped a two-out, two-run double that scored sophomore third baseman Amanda Sheppeck (Butler, Pa./Knoch) and junior right fielder Grace Murtoff (Carlisle, Pa./Boiling Springs).

Allegheny (3-11) led 2-0 in the third inning but Grove City cut the lead in half when sophomore pitcher Lauren Clarke (Lower Burrell, Pa./Burrell) walked and eventually scored on a Murtoff single. Murtoff went 2 for 3.

Clarke improved to 8-2 by throwing a complete game. She struck out three and walked just one in seven innings.

The Wolverines also overcame an early deficit in Game Two. Grove City forged a 1-1 tie in the fourth inning when senior center fielder Brittany Young (Wellsboro, Pa./Wellsboro) drove in freshman DP Casey Schmidt (Woodbine, Md./Glenelg) with a ground out.

In the fifth, junior left fielder Elizabeth Covatto (Beaver, Pa./Beaver) broke the tie by lacing a two-run double that scored Pennell and senior shortstop Christine Slater (Aliquippa, Pa./Center) with two outs. Pennell and Slater both singled earlier in the inning.

Young also doubled for the Wolverines and Murtoff finished 2 for 4.

Pennell (4-4) earned the pitching victory after pitching into the seventh inning. She allowed just five hits in six innings. Schmidt retired one batter and Clark pitched the final two-thirds of the seventh inning to garner her second save of the season.

Grove City has won seven of its last eight games overall. The Wolverines will visit Presidents' Athletic Conference foe Thomas More Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.

Game One Box Score                Game Two Box Score

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