KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Junior starting pitcher Peyton Blankenheim-Brown (Rio Linda, Calif.) hurled a three-hit shutout and knocked in a run to lead the Wheaton College (Mass.) softball team over DeSales University, 7-0, this afternoon at Fortune Road Athletic Complex in Kissimmee, Fla. as part of The Spring Games.

The Lyons improve to 6-2 on the season, while the Bulldogs fall to 2-4.

Wheaton registered its third shutout this season.

Blankenheim-Brown struck out a career-high eight batters in seven complete innings and did not allow a walk to improve to 1-1, while going 1-3 with a run scored at the plate for the Lyons. Sophomore shortstop Ella Molinari (Grafton, Mass.) was 1-3 with two runs batted in, while sophomore second base Taylor Barry (Hadley, Mass.) was 2-3 with a double, an RBI and a run scored. 

First year center fielder Katie Sharkey (Lynbrook, N.Y.) was 1-3 for DeSales. Senior first base Tori Kenney (Bay Shore, N.Y.) and sophomore catcher Meghan Sabo (Great Meadows, N.J.) were both 1-2 at the plate for the Bulldogs. Senior starting pitcher Tabitha Lawless (Monroe Township, N.J.) took the loss to drop to 0-2 for the Bulldogs. She gave up five unearned runs on three hits and a walk allowed.

Wheaton scored all the runs it would need, erupting for six in the bottom of the third inning. DeSales retired the first two batters of the inning, before 10 straight reached with six of them scoring. The Lyons loaded the bases when first year third base Sangeeta Vaidya (Sunnyvale, Calif.) reached on an error, senior left fielder Juliette Zito (Woodbridge, Conn.) drew a walk and senior center fielder Grace DiBacco (Selkirk, N.Y.) reached on an infield single to load the bases. Molinari followed with a two-run single through the right side to give Wheaton a 2-0 margin. Blankenheim-Brown laced a single up the middle to bring home DiBacco with the third run of the game for the Lyons. 

The bases remained loaded when sophomore catcher Emma Boucher (Derry, N.H.) was hit by a pitch to force in a run, followed by a Barry RBI single through the left side to plate Molinari. Rohon also drew a walk  to force in a run and give Wheaton a 6-0 cushion.

The Lyons tacked on another runner in the sixth after Barry lifted a double to the right-center gap and later scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Vaidya for a 7-0 final.

Wheaton returns to Russell Sage College at 9:00 a.m. on March 13 at Fortune Road, while the Bulldogs are also in action tomorrow at the same time, playing Meredith College.