KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Junior starting pitcher Peyton Blankenheim-Brown (Rio Linda, Calif.) gave up just one unearned run on four hits and senior center fielder Grace DiBacco (Selkirk, N.Y.) drove in a pair of runs to lead the Wheaton College (Mass.) softball team to a 6-1 victory over Loras College this afternoon at Fortune Road Athletic Complex in Kissimmee, Fla. as part of The Spring Games.
The Lyons improve to 8-2 on the season for their best start since 2014 when they began the campaign, 19-1. The Duhawks fall to 6-6 on the season.
Loras scored its only run with two outs in the top of the first inning to mark the first run that Wheaton pitching allowed in three games, over a span of 13 innings. The Lyons scored three times in the third and added three more runs in the fifth to provide their winning margin.
Blankenheim-Brown struck out eight batters and did not issue a walk over seven complete innings to improve to 2-1 on the season, while also knocking in a run at the plate with a single. DiBacco was 1-3 on the day with a run scored. Sophomore catcher Emma Boucher (Derry, N.H.) was 2-3 with a double for Wheaton, while senior left fielder Juliet Zito (Woodbridge, Conn.) was 2-4 for her sixth multi-hit effort of the year to go with two runs scored and a stolen base.
Senior second base Emily Monahan (Chicago, Ill.) led the Duhawks' offense with two hits in three trips to the plate, while sophomore third base Katherine Svigeli (Crystal Lake, Ill.) was 1-3 with a run scored. First year starting pitcher Kaili Henning (Fort Dodge, Iowa) suffered the loss to lower her mark to 2-2 after allowing six runs (three earned) on six hits and a walk to go with three strikeouts in four innings.
The Lyons scored three runs in the third to take a 3-1 margin. Senior right fielder Jillian Rohon (Southington, Conn.) reached on an error to open the frame and ended up on third following a sacrifice bunt and an infield single to the pitcher off the bat of Zito. Zito stole second to put both runners in scoring position to set up DiBacco for a two-run single to left field to give Wheaton the lead for good at 2-1. DiBacco later scored the Lyons' third run of the inning on a throwing error.
Wheaton tacked on three more runs in the fifth to give it the breathing room it needed to cruise to the victory. Zito got things started with a lead-off single, before DiBacco reached on an error. Sophomore shortstop Ella Molinari (Grafton, Mass.) came through with an RBI single to left to increase the Lyons' lead to 4-1. DiBacco later scampered home on a passed ball and Blankenheim-Brown served a single to center to plate Molinari with the game's final run and a five-run lead for Wheaton.
Loras took advantage of a Lyon miscue in the top of the first to get on the board. Svigeli opened the game with a single to center, moved to second on a ground out and later came all the way around to score on a two-out passed ball to give the Duhawks a 1-0 edge.
The Lyons return North to meet Rhode Island College for a twinbill on Tuesday, March 18 in Wheaton's home opener at the Clark Softball Field at 3:00 p.m., while Loras takes on St. Catherine University tomorrow at the Fortune Road Athletic Complex for a 9:00 a.m. contest.
