Hart posts .571 average (4-for-7) with three runs in two games

WINTER HAVEN, Fla.  – The Wheaton College softball team split a pair of non-conference games on day two of its spring break trip against Westminster and Waynesburg. The Lyons dropped their first contest of the afternoon to Westminster, 4-1, but bounced back in game two with an 8-1 triumph.

Westminster 4, Wheaton 1

Wheaton junior Emily Berardi (Boston, Mass./Boston Latin) took the loss on four innings pitched, five hits, two runs (one earned), one walk and two strikeouts in her first start of the season. Sophomore reliever Jillian Rocha (Rehoboth, Mass./Dighton-Rehoboth) allowed just one hit in one inning of work.

Westminster scored solo runs in the second, third and fifth, while sophomore Sara Morrow (Woodstock, Conn./Marianapolis Prep) notched a sacrifice fly in the sixth for the Lyons which scored classmate Emma Hart (Lincoln, R.I./Lincoln).

Wheaton 8, Waynesburg 1

Senior tri-captain Allison Baker (Orange, Conn./Amity Regional) improve to 2-0 on the young season going seven innings, yielding five hits, one run (earned) and two walks to go along with a game-high six strikeouts. In just two games pitched this year, Baker has 13 strikeouts.

Tied 0-0 in the top of the third, the Lyons' offense opened up the scoring with a three-run frame. Senior Jenna Rocha (Rehoboth, Mass./Dighton-Rehoboth) lifted a two-run sacrifice fly to right field scoring Ji. Rocha and Hart, who sped home all the way from second base, for a 2-0 advantage. Berardi followed with an RBI double to left-center plating sophomore Madeline Hatch (Acton, Mass./Acton-Boxboro) to make it 3-0.

Berardi, freshman Mary DeMoura (Boston, Mass./Boston Latin) and Kelly Welch (Wood Dale, Ill./Fenton) all had RBI's in Wheaton's three-run fifth inning, while sophomore Erin Deneen (Framingham, Mass./Lincoln-Sudbury) ripped a double down the left field line in the seventh to highlight the scoring.

Hart finished the afternoon with a .571 average (4-for-7) at the plate and three runs scored. Berardi was 2-for-4 with one run, a double and two RBI. Baker also set down Waynesburg's lineup in order on three separate occasions in the contest.

Wheaton (3-1) returns to action tomorrow against Husson University at 1 p.m. and Skidmore at 3:30 p.m.

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