KISSIMMEE, Fla.. – The Wheaton College (Mass.) softball team was edged by State University of Geneseo, 3-2, this afternoon at Fortune Road Athletic Complex in Kissimmee, Fla. as part of the Spring Games.
The Lyons slip to 4-6 on the season, while the Knights improve to 3-7.
Wheaton pitching yielded just four hits on the day, but Geneseo scored all the runs it needed in the first inning with three crossing the plate. The Lyons managed to score single runs in the first and sixth innings. .
Sophomore third base Amber Arcand (Millville, Mass.) was 2-3 with a double and a run scored for Wheaton, while junior right fielder Juliette Zito (Woodbridge, Conn.) collected a single and scored a run. Senior right-handed starter Sofia Knopf (Norton, Mass.) dropped to 2-2 after allowing just three runs (two earned) on four hits and no walks, while striking out five batters in six complete innings.
First year designated player Ray Schumacher (Greece, N.Y.) led the Knights with two runs batted in with a double in three at-bats and junior right fielder Hannah Olejniczak (Lake View, N.Y.) was 2-2 for the day. Junior starting pitcher Kaitlyn Schmitz (Eden, N.Y.) earned the victory to improve to 2-1 on the year after yielding two runs (one earned) on six hits and a walk to go with a strikeout in five and a third innings of work.
The Lyons manufactured the first run of the game in the top of the first to take a 1-0 lead. Zito served a leadoff single to center and later scored on a ground out to give Wheaton its only margin of the contest.
Geneseo took advantage of a pair of Lyon miscues and a clutch double to score all three of its runs in the bottom of the first to take a two-run lead. Junior Tori Guary (Spencerport, N.Y) reached on an infield error to begin the frame, before senior Rebecca Schwartz (Ronkonkoma, N.Y.) singled to right field. Guary later scored on another infield error before Schumacher brought home two more runs with a two-run double to left field to make it 3-1.
The Lyons cut the deficit to one with a run in the top of the sixth. Arcand ripped a double to right field and Knopf put runners on the corners with a one-out single. Arcand scored the second run on the front end of a double steal, while Knopf was hung up trying to steal second.
Wheaton looked to rally for the tying run in the seventh after sophomore second base Maggie Caron (Boxford, Mass.) registered a leadoff single. It was the only offense the Lyons could muster as first year Gabriella Petroski (Lancaster, N.Y.) retired the final three batters to earn the save for the Knights.
Wheaton will be in action again on, while Geneseo plays Rowan University tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. in Clermont, Fla.
