NORTON, Mass. -- The Johnson & Wales University (R.I.) softball team rallied for six runs in the sixth inning to pull out a 6-4 victory over host Wheaton College (Mass.) this afternoon in game one of a doubleheader at the Clark Softball Field on the Wheaton campus in Norton, Mass.

The Lyons fall to 14-7 on the season, while the Wildcats improve to 19-7.

Johnson & Wales was held to just four hits through five innings in game one, before it rallied for six runs on five hits, a walk, a hit batter and a wild pitch in the sixth inning. Wheaton did all of its scoring in the bottom of the second.

Junior second base Bryanna Agan (Averill Park, N.Y.) was 2-3 with a double and two runs batted in for the Lyons and junior starting pitcher Sofia Knopf (Norton, Mass.) knocked in a run and was 2-3 with a run scored. Sophomore left fielder Juliette Zito (Woodbridge, Conn.) also drove in a run with a 2-4 effort and also scored, while classmate Jillian Rohon (Southington, Conn.) reached base all four times with three singles and a walk. Knopf suffered the loss after hurling the first five frames and then coming in for two-thirds of an inning to finish the sixth after originally being relieved. She allowed two unearned runs on five hits and six walks to go with a pair of strikeouts.

Junior first base Hailey Erickson (Calimesa, Calif.) was 3-4 with three runs batted in, a walk and a run scored to lead the Wildcats. Graduate student third base Jill Pulek (Cheshire, Conn.) was 2-4 with a walk and a run scored, while junior shortstop Julia Huzi (Trumbull, Conn.) was 1-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored. Sophomore starting pitcher Katie Scheid (Hightstown, N.J.) earned the victory to improve to 10-2 after giving up four runs on 11 hits and two walks in addition to a strikeout, before junior reliever Sage Borkowski (Oxford, Conn.) nailed down her first save of the year with two one-hit innings.

Johnson & Wales faced a 4-0 deficit heading into the top of the sixth, before sophomore right fielder Mackenzie Clee (Warminster, Pa.) and Huzi cracked back-to-back one-out doubles to put JWU on the board and cut the deficit to 4-1. Pulek singled to left center to set up Erickson, who came through with a three-run homer to knot the contest at 4-4. The Wildcats later loaded the bases with two outs when first year Mady Lyons (Prior Lake, Minn.) singled, graduate student left fielder Megan Antaya (Somerset, Mass.) was hit by a pitch and senior catcher Meaghan Gurska (Revere, Mass.) drew a walk to push the sacks full. Lyons scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch and when the throw from the Wheaton catcher got away from the pitcher covering the plate, Antaya was right behind with an insurance run to give JWU a 6-4 lead.

The Lyons looked to rally in the seventh when junior catcher Jill Ceddia (Hopkinton, Mass.) laced a leadoff single up the middle and eventually advanced to third with two outs, but Borkowski got a ground out to end the game.

Wheaton scored four times in the bottom of the second to take a 4-0 lead. Sophomore center fielder Grace DiBacco (Selkirk, N.Y.) worked a leadoff walk and went to third on a single off the bat of Rohon to center field. Rohon was caught stealing before Knopf plated DiBacco with the game's first run on a single through the left side. Junior left fielder Allison Weston (West Islip, N.Y.) singled to center before Zito ripped a single to right field to give the home team a two-run lead. Agan doubled to center field to bring home two more runs for a 4-0 margin.