LATROBE, Pa. – The Geneva College softball train keeps chugging along, with the Golden Tornadoes increasing their winning streak to nine games with a doubleheader sweep at Saint Vincent on Tuesday afternoon by the scores of 5-4 and 11-4.  Geneva improved to 13-3, while the Bearcats dropped to 2-7-1.

It was Saint Vincent that struck first in game one, scoring twice in the first inning off starting pitcher Nicole West (Glenwood, Md./McDonogh) on back-to-back two-out hits.

Geneva tied the game up in the top of the fourth, thanks to three straight walks from Saint Vincent's starter Jessica LaPorte.  West and sophomore Danielle Goodman (Glen Burnie, Md./Calvary Baptist) picked up RBIs, but a Bearcat home run in the bottom of the inning pushed Saint Vincent back ahead, 3-2.

The Golden Tornadoes tied it back up in the top of the fifth, with junior Sarah Johnson (Highlands Ranch, Colo./Mountain Vista) leading off with a walk, stealing second, and then coming around to score on a two-out RBI-single from senior Marina Manuppelli (Mars, Pa./Mars).

Saint Vincent retook the lead in the bottom of the sixth on another home run, but Geneva had one more rally left.  With Geneva down to its last out, and with runners in scoring position, West hit a looping liner to center that the Bearcat centerfielder made a sliding attempt for but couldn't hold onto, and the two-out, two-RBI single proved to be the game-winner.  Sophomore Haley Smith (Joshua Tree, Cali./Yucca Valley) relieved West in the bottom of the seventh and worked around a leadoff single to earn her second save of the season.

West earned the win to move her record to 6-1 overall.  She pitched six innings, gave up seven hits and four runs, while striking out two.  West also helped her own cause, going 1-for-3 at the plate and driving in three runs.  Sophomore Madison Forsythe (Trafford, Pa./Penn-Trafford) was the only Golden Tornado with multiple hits, going 2-for-4 while scoring two runs.

Smith took the ball in game two, and after a scoreless first inning, Geneva got on the board when sophomore Peri Ceasri (El Dorado, Cali./Vista Del Lago) led off with a double and came around to score on a sacrifice fly from junior Madison Smith (Joshua Tree, Cali/Yucca Valley).

The Golden Tornadoes added two more runs in the top of the fourth, with Ceasri and West providing doubles to lead the offense, and Geneva made it 5-0 in the top of the fifth on a two-run home run off the bat of sophomore Hannah Raygor (Germantown, Md./Seneca Valley).

Saint Vincent got on the board with two runs in the bottom of the fifth, but Geneva put the game away in the top of the seventh, scoring six times, with Manuppelli supplying an RBI-double and Forsythe a two-RBI triple.  The Bearcats scored twice in the bottom of the seventh to complete the scoring, 11-4.

Haley Smith moved her record to 7-2 with the win, battling through all seven innings without her best stuff.  She gave up 12 hits, four runs (three earned), while striking out four. 

West completed her big day with a 4-for-4 effort at the plate, scoring a run and driving in another.  Ceasri finished 2-for-2 with two runs and two doubles, Manuppelli went 2-for-4 with a double, two runs and an RBI, and Johnson also had a multi-hit game, finishing 2-for-4 with a run.  Raygor supplied the power with the first home run of her career.

"It's always nice to go on the road and win two games," said Head Coach Van Zanic.  "That said, we didn't really play all that well, especially in the first game.  Nikki did pitch well, though, and helped her own cause with the big game-winning hit, and it was good to see her keep it going offensively in the second game.  Haley was solid as well in the second game, but after six games in four days, we have some tired ladies and it will be good to get a couple of days of rest."

Geneva will return to action this Saturday with a home doubleheader against Thiel beginning at 11:00 a.m.


Geneva College is a Christ-centered academic community that provides a comprehensive education to equip students for faithful and fruitful service to God and neighbor. Offering over 145 traditional undergraduate majors and programs, fully online Adult Degree Programs and high-demand graduate degrees, Geneva's programs are recognized for their high quality. Geneva is included on Kiplinger's Personal Finance's "2019 Best College Values" list and has one of the top undergraduate engineering programs in the nation, according to U.S. News and World Report. Adhering to the truth of Scripture, a Geneva education is grounded in God's Word as well as in a core curriculum designed to prepare students vocationally to think, write and communicate well in today's world.