April 4, 2013

Grove City falls in conference opener

PITTSBURGH -- The Grove City College softball team opened Presidents' Athletic Conference play Thursday by dropping a doubleheader at Chatham. Chatham (6-12, 3-1 PAC) pulled out a 4-3 win in the opener and then captured a 5-2 win in the second game.

In Game One, Chatham broke a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the seventh by scoring an unearned run with two outs.

Grove City had trailed 3-1 entering the sixth inning but quickly forged a tie. Sophomore shortstop Kelsey Shirey (Macedonia, Ohio/Nordonia) led off with a home run, cutting the lead in half. Senior Emily Reece (Frederick, Md./Thomas Johnson) followed with a pinch-hit double. After a single from senior pitcher Lauren Clarke (Lower Burrell, Pa./Burrell), freshman third baseman Casey Woodcock (Oneida, N.Y./Oneida) drove in the tying run with a ground out.

Shirey and Clarke both finished 2 for 3. Clarke threw a complete game but took the setback. She allowed three earned runs in 6 2/3 innings. Clarke recorded five strikeouts.

The Wolverines took a 2-0 lead in the second inning of Game Two. Sophomore catcher Sarah Morris (Allison Park, Pa./Hampton) sparked the two-run inning with a leadoff single while freshman Emily Rothbard (Bel Air, Md./Bel Air) doubled in Morris. Clarke, who walked, scored the second run of the inning on a single from senior right fielder Elsa Klingensmith (Lower Burrell, Pa./Homeschooled).

However, Chatham countered with four runs in the fourth inning and added one in the seventh. Grove City served as designated home team in the second game.

Morris and Klingensmith both went 2 for 3. In the circle, senior Faith Jentsch (Orchard Park, N.Y./Orchard Park) started and pitched five innings. She allowed four runs and seven hits and took the setback. Rothbard pitched two innings of relief and allowed one run.

Grove City (3-9, 0-2) opens its home schedule Saturday at 1 p.m. against conference rival Geneva.

Game One Box Score            Game Two Box Score

Go back to Wolverine Softball Home Page