GROVE CITY, Pa. – The Geneva College softball team earned a much-needed doubleheader sweep on Monday afternoon at Grove City, managing around the sun's eclipse to defeat the Wolverines by scores of 7-5 and 6-4. Geneva improved to 9-11 overall, 3-3 in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC), while Grove City dropped to 11-9, 3-3 in the PAC.
Sophomore Sophia Tvaroch got the start in the circle in game one, and Grove City scored a pair of runs in both the first and second innings to put Geneva in an early 4-0 hole.
The Golden Tornadoes got their offense going in the top of the third, though. The first nine batters reached base, aided by two Grove City errors and four walks. Geneva scored six times as senior Elishea Reed had a two-run double, while senior Julia Hart followed with an RBI-single. Junior Megan Gray earned an RBI later in the inning on a groundout, and freshman Aliya Ottaviani and sophomore Madison Rapp drove in runs with bases-loaded walks.
Geneva added an insurance run in the top of the fourth as freshman Kyra Wilcox opened the inning with a single and later came around to score on a Grove City error, and that was enough offense for Tvaroch, who settled down after the bumpy first two innings. She held the Wolverines to just one run over the final five innings and earned the complete-game victory, 7-5.
Hart led the offense with three hits and two runs, while Wilcox and freshman Molly Shelley each contributed two hits in the win.
Sophomore McKenzie Rapp got the start in the circle in game two. Shelley single handedly got her a run in the top of the first. Shelley singled, stole second and third, and she came home when the catcher's throw to third got away.
Grove City answered right back in the bottom of the first, scoring twice with two outs to grab a 2-1 advantage, but Rapp settled down after that, retiring 14 of the next 17 batters she faced.
Geneva pulled even in the top of the third, courtesy Shelley again who drove home sophomore Lexi Zanic with an RBI-double. The Golden Tornadoes then retook the lead in the top of the fifth when Reed's fielder's choice with the bases loaded brought home sophomore Alex Guzman.
The Golden Tornadoes followed with a big inning in the top of the sixth, scoring three times. Sophomore Justine Robbins started the inning with a double. Guzman drove in one with a fielder's choice. Shelley delivered another RBI-single, and a third run scored on an error.
Grove City finally broke through again against Rapp in the bottom of the frame with a run, and the Wolverines added one more run in the bottom of the seventh, but Rapp closed out the win with a pop-up, 6-4.
Rapp earned her fourth win of the season with the complete-game victory. Shelley was the star offensively, going 3-for-4 with a double, one run, two RBIs and three stolen bases. Robbins and Zanic also added two hits apiece.
Geneva will continue its busy week with a doubleheader at W&J at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, weather permitting.
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).
