Geneva Earns Key PAC Softball Sweep At W&J
WASHINGTON, Pa. – Geneva clubbed three-run homers in both games and swept a key Presidents’ Athletic Conference softball doubleheader from Washington & Jefferson on Tuesday at Brooks Park. The Golden Tornadoes defeated W&J 6-2 in the first game and then collected a 3-0 triumph in the nightcap.
Geneva (25-15, 9-5) and W&J (13-19, 7-7) entered the day tied for the fourth and final spot in the upcoming PAC Tournament. Geneva senior pitcher Julie DiDonardo earned both pitching victories after limiting the Presidents to 10 hits in the 14 innings.
W&J struck for a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning of game one. Sophomore catcher Kelsey Cunningham (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township) led off with a single and scored on sophomore pitcher Madison Rotto’s (Sarver, Pa./Freeport) sacrifice fly. The throw from left field got past the Geneva catcher and sophomore shortstop Stephanie Zur (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) sprinted home for the second run.
DiLonardo took over from that point; however, as she limited the Presidents to three hits in the final six innings. The Golden Tornadoes (25-15, 9-5) scored four times in the third inning which included a three-run homer by Mackenzie Kemerer. GC added two insurance runs in the sixth without recording a base hit.
DiLonardo struck out five and walked one in the complete game, while all six of the runs allowed by Rotto were unearned. Rotto walked eight batters, allowed six hits and struck out eight. Zur led the W&J lineup in game one with two hits.
All three runs in game two came during the fifth inning when Christina Fuqua drilled a three-run homer to left field.
Both teams were held to four base hits in game two. DiLonardo struck out eight Presidents.
Junior Erin Shuman (Chester, W.Va./Oak Glen) struck out four Golden Tornadoes, but issued six walks. Freshman first baseman Paige Deley (Coraopolis, Pa./Montour) had a double to lead the lineup.
W&J meets Thiel in Greenville tomorrow for a 3:30 pm league doubleheader.
