Kissimmee, Fla. – The Golden Tornadoes once again split their two games in Florida on Friday, dropping a close 2-1 game to Roger Williams in the morning before winning 3-2 against Fontbonne in another tight game. With two days left in Geneva's Florida trip, their record now stands at 5-3.
Game One of the day for Geneva, against Roger Williams, proved to be a nailbiter all the way through. The Hawks struck first in the bottom of the first inning, scoring on a passed ball with sophomore Sophia Tvaroch in the circle. It would wind up being one of just two runs off Tvaroch all day long, however, as she put together an impressive performance in the pitcher's circle over the next six innings.
It wasn't until the third inning that the GTs were able to counter with a run of their own. Two walks put runners on first and second for Geneva. With two outs, senior Elishea Reed hit a line drive single into centerfield, scoring sophomore Lexi Zanic from second base and knotting the score at one.
Pitching was the name of the game for the next couple of innings, as Tvaroch retired eight of the next ten batters. Roger Williams threatened again in the bottom of the fifth inning, loading up the bases with two outs, but Zanic was able to field a ground ball at shortstop and flip it to freshman Aliya Ottaviani for the the forceout at second base to end the inning and keep the game scoreless.
Two singles from Reed and Ottaviani to open the sixth inning put Geneva in good position to take the lead. Unfortunately, the Hawks were able to get three quick outs and hold Reed at third base to keep the Golden Tornadoes from taking the lead.
Tvaroch remained in the pitcher's circle for the sixth inning, and she got the first two Hawks batters to hit easy pop flies that didn't make it past the infield. It seemed that was where Geneva's luck went dry, however, as the next three Roger Williams batters singled to put the Hawks in front for good, 2-1.
Despite a very good outing overall, Tvaroch was credited with her third loss of the season, allowing two earned runs on seven hits over 6.0 innings of work. She also recorded one strikeout and one walk on the day.
Reed was the top performer for the GTs at the plate, going 2-for-3 with an RBI, her first of the season.
Geneva got the scoring started in the second inning of Game Two, with back-to-back base hits from Reed and Ottaviani putting runners on second and third. A sacrifice fly from junior Megan Gray drove in Reed from third base, and the GTs left the inning leading 1-0.
The Golden Tornadoes struck again the fourth inning, with freshman Kyra Wilcox hitting a two-out single and stealing second base immediately afterward. Freshman Molly Shelley drove her home on an RBI-single on the next at-bat, pushing Geneva's lead to 2-0.
Sophomore McKenzie Rapp, getting the start, pitched very well to start the game, sitting down 12 of the first 14 batters she faced. Fontbonne was finally able to get some offense going in the top of the fifth, however, getting two important runs to tie up the ballgame. Rapp was able to limit the damage, however, by retiring the last two batters of the side via a strikeout and a groundout to shortstop.
Geneva was able to take back the lead in the bottom half of the inning, as two walks and an HBP from the Griffins' pitcher loaded up the bases for the Golden Tornadoes. Freshman Alexa Forsythe took a base on balls later on in the inning to push a run over home plate for Geneva, and the women took a 3-2 lead that they would not relinquish for the rest of the afternoon.
Rapp got the win in Game Two, her third of the season. She posted an excellent stat line, striking out six batters in 7.0 innings while allowing just the two earned runs on five hits. Shelley led the women offensively, reaching base in all four of her plate appearances by going 2-for-2 with an RBI and two walks. She also stole three bases in the win.
Geneva plays twice more tomorrow, with games against #7 Rowan at 1:45 pm and Swarthmore at 4:00 pm. The women will play their final two games in Florida on Monday.
Through purposeful learning in a community reflecting the full spectrum of God's kingdom, a Geneva College experience inspires students to discover a faith-life calling in service to God and neighbor. Offering 195+ traditional undergraduate majors and programs, fully online Adult Degree Programs and high-demand graduate degrees, Geneva's programs are recognized for their high quality and affordability. 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 the International Association for Christian Education (IACE).
