April 15, 2011

Wolverines drop two

GROVE CITY, Pa. -- The Grove City College softball team suffered a pair of one-run setbacks against visiting Bethany Friday afternoon in a Presidents' Athletic Conference doubleheader at College Field. Bethany won the opener 6-5, then scored two sixth-inning runs in Game Two to pull out a 2-1 decision.

In Game One, Grove City jumped out to a 5-0 lead by scoring four runs in the second inning and one in the third. Senior Lauren Pennell (Zelienople, Pa./Seneca Valley) gave Grove City a 2-0 lead with a two-run homer in the bottom of the second. Sophomore pitcher Lauren Clarke (Lower Burrell, Pa./Burrell) and senior left fielder Faith Piper (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Central Catholic) both singled and scored later in the inning.

Pennell singled in the third inning and scored the fifth run of the game when Clarke singled. Pennell and Clarke both went 2 for 3 for the Wolverines.

Bethany pulled to within 5-1 in the fourth, then tied the game with a four-run fifth inning. Bethany (17-11, 5-1 PAC) took the lead in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by right fielder Maria Vallone.

Clarke allowed six earned runs in six innings for Grove City. Sophomore Faith Jentsch (Orchard Park, N.Y./Orchard Park) pitched a scoreless seventh.

Grove City broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning when junior left fielder Elizabeth Covatto (Beaver, Pa./Beaver) reached on an error and eventually scored on a run-scoring single from senior shortstop Christine Slater (Aliquippa, Pa./Center).

Bethany, the designated home team in Game Two, tied the game in the bottom of the sixth when Vallone tripled in Chelsea Butler. Vallone then scored the go-ahead run on a groundout.

Pennell fired a complete game for Grove City, allowing two runs and four hits in six innings. She walked none.

Junior right fielder Grace Murtoff (Carlisle, Pa./Boiling Springs) doubled and singled for Grove City. Senior second baseman Sarah Young (Knoxville, Tenn./Farragut) and freshman catcher Lauren Clifford (Cranberry Township, Pa./Seneca Valley) both went 2 for 3.

Grove City will host Geneva Tuesday at 3:30 p.m.

Game One Box Score                Game Two Box Score

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