KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Senior starting pitcher Peyton Blankenheim-Brown (Rio Linda, Calif.) allowed just two runs on six hits and knocked in a run with a triple to lead the Wheaton College (Mass.) softball team to a 4-2 victory over Montclair State University this afternoon at Fortune Road Athletic Complex in Kissimmee, Fla. as part of The Spring Games.
The Lyons improve to 4-0 on the season for their best start since 2008 when they won the first seven games of the campaign. The Red Hawks drop to 1-2.
Wheaton scored all the runs it needed with one in the first and two in the second to take a 3-0 lead, before tacking on another insurance run in the top of the sixth. Montclair State cut the margin in half with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Blankenheim-Brown struck out five and allowed just one walk in seven complete innings to improve to 2-0 on the season. At the plate, the right-handed hurler was 2-4 with a run scored for the Lyons. Senior right fielder Amber Arcand (Millville, Mass.) was 3-4 with a run batted in, a double and a run scored and senior catcher Riley Dolan (Coram, N.Y.) was 2-4. Senior first base Brittany Dost (Centereach, N.Y.) chipped in with two singles in four at-bats.
Sophomore first base Julia Hoffman (Youngstown, N.Y.) paced the Red Hawks at the plate, going 1-2 with a run batted in. Senior catcher Katie Brunner (Whippany, N.J.) doubled and walked for Montclair State, while sophomore Jayla Vasquez (Leonia, N.J.) singled in her only at-bat. First year starting pitcher Brooke McHale (Jersey City, N.J.) suffered the loss after giving up three runs on nine hits and a walk to go with three strikeouts in four innings pitched.
Arcand led off the game for Wheaton with an infield single to second base, before later advancing to third on a wild pitch. Blankenheim-Brown belted a triple to right field to bring home Arcand with the game's first run. Junior third base Emma Boucher (Derry, N.H.) followed with an RBI single to left field to pad the Lyons' early lead at 2-0.
Wheaton tacked on another run in the top of the second to increase its margin to 3-0. First year left fielder Julia Miller (Cheshire, Conn.) reached on a fielder's choice and later scored when Arcand crushed a double to center field to bring Miller around to score the third run of the game. The Lyons added a fourth run in the sixth when junior center fielder Gabby Reinbold (Sharon, Mass.) reached after being hit by a pitch to open the inning and later scored on a throwing error to make it 4-0.
Montclair State pulled within 4-2 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth, but it was as close as it would get for the remainder of the contest. The first three batters all reached safely to load the bases with no outs for the Red Hawks. Sophomore center fielder Sophia Alonso (Tinton Falls, N.J.) reached on an infield single to second to open the frame, before senior shortstop Liz Mullen (South Brunswick, N.J.) was hit by a pitch. Senior designated player Carlee Iannone (Middletown, N.J.) singled to right field to push the sacks full for Montclair State. Hester sent a sacrifice fly to left field to bring home the first run of the day for the Red Hawks. The run snapped a streak of 26 straight innings that Wheaton pitching had not given up a run to start the season. Brunner also worked a walk to re-load the bases for Montclair State. Senior left fielder Juliana Casillas (South Brunswick, N.J.) followed with the second sacrifice fly of the inning to bring home Mullen with the Red Hawks' second and final run of the game.
Blankenheim-Brown struck out the next batter to end the sixth and retired the side in order in the seventh to end the game for Wheaton.
The Lyons return to play on Tuesday, March 10 at 10:00 a.m. when they take on Washington & Jefferson College in Kissimmee, Fla. while Montclair State plays Aurora University later today.
