LEESBURG, Fla. – The Geneva College softball team struggled to get much offense going for most of the day on Monday down in Florida. The Golden Tornadoes dropped their first game of the day to Husson, 5-1, and Geneva finally put together a big inning in the second game against Ohio Wesleyan to come from behind for a 5-3 victory. Geneva's record now stands at 2-2.
In game one, the Golden Tornadoes had a chance to jump out to an early lead in the top of the first. Geneva had runners at second and third with one out, as well as the bases loaded with two outs, but Geneva stranded all three runners.
Senior Nicole West (Glenwood, Md./McDonogh) took the circle, and she breezed through the first two innings before running into trouble in the third. After retiring the first batter, the next four Eagle batters delivered hits, and all eventually came around to score before the side was retired, giving Husson a 4-0 lead.
Geneva once again had a chance to get on the board in the top of the fourth, but the Golden Tornadoes left the bases loaded for the second time in the game.
West and sophomore reliever Maya Macias (Modesto, Calif./Johansen) didn't give up much the rest of the way, but the offense could never get going. The Golden Tornadoes' only run came with two outs in the top of the seventh when West delivered an RBI-single.
West took the loss, pitching 5.0 innings while giving up eight hits, five runs, all earned, four walks and four strikeouts. Geneva managed just five hits against Husson starter Tatyanna Biamby.
Junior Haley Smith (Joshua Tree, Calif./Yucca Valley) took the ball in the second game against Ohio Wesleyan, and she retired the Battling Bishops in order in the top of the first.
Geneva's offense looked primed for a big inning in the bottom of the frame when the first three hitters reached base on singles to load the bases with no one out. However, junior Peri Ceasri's (El Dorado Hills, Calif./Vista Del Lago) shallow fly ball to right was caught, and Ohio Wesleyan fired the ball to the catcher to get senior Sarah Johnson (Highlands Ranch, Colo./Mountain Vista) at the plate for a double play. It was only an Ohio Wesleyan error on West's following ground ball that allowed the Golden Tornadoes to get on the board.
The Geneva pitching and defense gave that run right back in the top of the second, as a walk, an error and two wild pitches let the Battling Bishops tie the score up, without the aid of a hit.
Geneva's offense stayed silent through the next three innings, and two Golden Tornado errors to start the top of the fifth allowed Ohio Wesleyan to plate another unearned run, giving the Battling Bishops a 2-1 lead.
The Golden Tornado offense finally stirred to life in the bottom of the inning. With one out, Johnson got the offense going with a single, the first Geneva hit since the first inning. Junior Madison Forsythe (Trafford, Pa./Penn-Trafford) reached on a fielder's choice to put two runners on. Senior Madison Smith (Joshua Tree, Calif./Yucca Valley) drove in Johnson with a single. Ceasri followed with another single to drive in Forsythe, and then West ripped a triple down the left field line to plate two more runners, giving Geneva a 5-2 lead.
Ohio Wesleyan scored another unearned run in the top of the seventh off Haley Smith, but Smith closed out the game from there. She earned the victory with a complete-game effort, going all seven innings while giving up just three hits and three unearned runs. She walked three and struck out three.
Johnson and Madison Smith both had two hits to lead the offense, while West supplied the big 2-RBI triple to break the game open. Forsythe also scored two runs.
"After a year in which we didn't get to play teams outside our conference, it is nice to see some different teams," said Head Coach Van Zanic. "It is very early and we obviously have some work to do, but it is good to see some pieces falling into place."
Geneva is right back in action tomorrow with two games, beginning with a matchup against Pitt-Greensburg at 9:15 a.m., followed by a game with Otterbein at 11:30 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 has one of the top 100 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. Geneva was founded and is governed by the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA) and is a founding member of both the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) and IACE (International Association for Christian Education).
