KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Junior starting pitcher Sofia De La Rosa (Middle Village, N.Y.) hurled a two-hit shutout and struck out twelve batters to lead the Wheaton College (Mass.) softball team to a 2-0 victory over Anderson University this morning in the season opener for both teams at Fortune Road Athletic Complex in Kissimmee, Fla. as part of The Spring Games.
The Lyons improve to 1-0 on the season, while the Ravens slip to 0-1.
De La Rosa retired the first eight batters she faced, including four by strikeout, and did not allow a hit until the bottom of the third with two outs. De La Rosa set down the final seven hitters of the game to earn her first victory of the season for Wheaton. She did not allow a walk over seven complete innings. Junior second base Taylor Barry (Hadley, Mass.) was 2-4 with a pair of doubles to lead the offense, while senior first base Peyton Blankenheim-Brown (Rio Linda, Calif.) was 2-3 with a double. Senior right fielder Amber Arcand (Millville, Mass.) contributed with a 1-3 effort that saw her score a pair of runs, steal two bases and draw a walk.
Junior starting pitcher M.J. Harper (West Lafayette, Ind.) suffered the loss, giving up two runs on seven hits and three walks over seven innings, while fanning a batter for Anderson. She was also 1-2 at the plate. First year left fielder Avery Owens (Mooresville, Ind.) was 1-2 with a stolen base.
The Lyons cracked the scoring column in the first inning when Arcand led off with a single to right, stole second and third base and later came around to score when junior shortstop Ella Molinari (Grafton, Mass.) reached on an error.
Wheaton doubled its lead with a run in the top of the first to take a 2-0 margin. Arcand drew a lead-off walk and Barry followed with a double up the middle to put both runners in scoring position with no outs. Arcand later scored from third when junior third base Emma Boucher (Derry, N.H.) grounded out to second to drive in the second run.
De La Rosa allowed just one hit after the fourth inning, while recording six strikeouts over the final three frames for the Lyons.
Wheaton returns to action against Thomas College at the Fortune Road Complex today at 11:15 a.m., while Anderson also plays at 11:15 a.m. against Benedictine College.
