April 17, 2015
Wolverines fall to Geneva in extra innings
GROVE CITY, Pa. -- The Grove City College softball team couldn't get its offense going, falling to Presidents' Athletic Conference foe Geneva 2-1 in eight innings on Friday evening at the Grove City College Softball Field.
Senior shortstop Kelsey Shirey (Macedonia, Ohio/Nordonia) led the Wolverines (12-9, 4-6 PAC) with a two hits while senior catcher Sarah Morris (Allison Park, Pa./Hampton) was 1 for 1 with an RBI-double.
Playing a makeup game for the second game of a doubleheader that was rained out at Geneva on April 8, Grove City played as the visiting team on the scoreboard and batted in the top of each inning. The Wolverines would waste little time getting on the scoreboard initially, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.
With one out, senior second baseman Allison Rayburn (New Kensington, Pa./Valley) reached on a Geneva fielding error and moved to second on a Shirey two-out single through the right side. The Wolverines then took the lead when Morris pelted a double to deep left field, scoring Rayburn to put the Wolverines on top.
Geneva (16-16, 6-6 PAC) evened the score in the bottom of the second when Taylor Yarletts came home to score on a Samantha Johnson single to left field.
The Wolverines had a chance to reclaim the lead in the top of the fifth, as sophomore pitcher Erika Aughton (Moon Township, Pa./Moon) and Shirey hit consecutive one-out singles and Morris drew a walk to load the bases. That threat was short-lived, however, as the pitcher Johnson snagged a hard line drive by freshman Breanna Lent (Pittsburgh, Pa./Hampton) and doubled up on Morris at first base to end the inning.
Grove City once again threatened in the top of the seventh inning as senior right fielder Erica Gmuer (Gibsonia, Pa./Hampton) led off the inning by reaching and advancing to second on another Geneva error. A Rayburn groundout moved Gmuer to third base with just one out, but Johnson delivered a timely strikeout to get the second out of the inning. The Golden Tornadoes intentionally walked Shirey and then unintentionally walked Morris to load the bases. The strategy worked, as Geneva took advantage of a Lent groundout to third to easily step on the bag for the force-out to end the inning.
It looked as if Grove City might score first in the extra frame, as freshman designated player Lauren Hughes (Twinsburg, Ohio/Cuyahoga Valley Christian) drew a one-out walk. Senior center fielder then followed with a single to left field, but Hughes was thrown out trying to advance to third on the play. Geneva would then get a strikeout to end the inning.
In the bottom of the eighth, Geneva's Laura Innocenzi would hit a leadoff single up the middle and advance to second on a Clara Sevy single through the right side. That set up Laura Beck's walkoff single to right field that would give Geneva the 2-1 victory.
Aughton was the hard-luck loser on the mound, allowing just two runs on six hits while striking out three over seven and one-third innings.
Grove City hosts Westminster tomorrow at 1 p.m. in another PAC doubleheader.
Go back to Wolverine Softball Home Page