April 18, 2013

Grove City stuns W&J in nightcap

WASHINGTON, Pa. -- The Grove City College softball rallied to split a Presidents' Athletic Conference doubleheader Thursday afternoon with host Washington & Jefferson at Brooks Park. Grove City dropped the opener 2-1 but rebounded in Game Two for a 7-6 victory.

Grove City, the designated home team for the second game, scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh to capture the win.

Sophomore shortstop Kelsey Shirey (Macedonia, Ohio/Nordonia) and sophomore catcher Sarah Morris (Allison Park, Pa./Hampton) ignited the comeback with back-to-back one-out singles. Shirey scored the first run of the inning on a groundout from junior Baylie Jones (Conneautville, Pa./Conneaut Valley), cutting the lead to 6-4.

After a W&J error, Morris scored Grove City's fifth run on a single from freshman right fielder Megan Lynskey (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny). A walk to sophomore left fielder Caitlyn Vidovic (North Ridgeville, Ohio/Lutheran West) loaded the bases for freshman third baseman Claire Haumesser (Williamsville, N.Y./Williamsville South).

Haumesser roped a two-run double to right center, driving in sophomore second baseman Allison Rayburn (New Kensington, Pa./Valley) and Lynskey with the tying and winning runs, respectively. It is Haumesser's first double of the season.

Grove City trailed 6-1 entering the fifth but Rayburn cracked a two-run single that drove in Shirey and senior Lauren Clarke (Lower Burrell, Pa./Burrell). Rayburn finished 3 for 4 and scored twice. Clarke and Lynskey also went 3 for 4 while Shirey had two hits and scored twice.

Clarke pitched 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief to earn the win. Senior Faith Jentsch (Orchard Park, N.Y./Orchard Park) started and pitched 3 2/3 innings. She yielded four earned runs. Freshman Emily Rothbard (Bel Air, Md./Bel Air) followed Jentsch with 1 2/3 scoreless innings.

Clarke threw a complete game in the opener but took the setback. She allowed two earned runs in six innings. Rayburn singled in Clarke in the first inning to give the Wolverines an early 1-0 lead.

Morris and Vidovic both doubled in Game One.

Grove City (5-17, 2-10) will host Westminster Saturday in a conference doubleheader at 2 p.m.

Game One Box Score            Game Two Box Score

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