May 4, 2011

Grove City splits at Waynesburg

WAYNESBURG, Pa. -- The Grove City College softball team concluded the 2011 regular season Wednesday by splitting a Presidents' Athletic Conference doubleheader at Waynesburg. Waynesburg (16-14, 8-8 PAC) won the opener 5-2 but Grove City (18-16, 7-9 PAC) rebounded for a 5-0 win in Game Two.

The win clinches Grove City's first regular season winning record since the 2004 team went 14-9. However, Waynesburg clinched the fourth and final spot in this weekend's conference tournament by splitting the twinbill. Grove City had to win both games Wednesday to seize the fourth berth.

In Game Two, senior pitcher Lauren Pennell (Zelienople, Pa./Seneca Valley) took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and finished with a one-hit shutout. She struck out 10 in seven innings of work and evened her season record at 8-8.

The Wolverines quickly grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first inning as senior center fielder Brittany Young (Wellsboro, Pa./Wellsboro) tripled in senior shortstop Christine Slater (Aliquippa, Pa./Center). Sophomore third baseman Amanda Sheppeck (Butler, Pa./Knoch) followed with a run-scoring single.

Grove City doubled its lead in the third inning by scoring two runs without a hit. Sophomore Lauren Clarke (Lower Burrell, Pa./Burrell) drove in Pennell with a squeeze bunt while an error led to the other run.

Grove City closed the scoring in the fourth when Young singled in senior left fielder Faith Piper (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Central Catholic). Young went 2 for 3.

In the opener, Waynesburg led 2-0 in the fifth but Grove City cut the lead in half when junior right fielder Grace Murtoff (Carlisle, Pa./Boiling Springs) scored on a wild pitch. In the seventh, senior second baseman Sarah Young (Knoxville, Tenn./Farragut) tripled and came home on a Slater single. Slater went 2 for 3.

Clarke allowed two runs in four innings and absorbed the defeat. Sophomore Faith Jentsch (Orchard Park, N.Y./Orchard Park) and freshman Casey Schmidt (Woodbine, Md./Glenelg) both pitched in relief with Schmidt tossing 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief.

Grove City's 18 wins this year are the most for the program since the 1998 team went 20-8.

Game One Box Score                Game Two Box Score

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