NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. – The Geneva College softball team opened Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) play at Westminster on Friday afternoon with a doubleheader, and after a hot start to the season in Florida over Spring Break, the Golden Tornadoes lost both games by scores of 5-3 and 11-8.  Geneva's record is now 11-3 on the season.

Geneva got on the board first in game one when sophomore Molly Shelley doubled down the line on the first pitch of the game, and she eventually came around to score.

Westminster answered right back in the bottom of the first off junior starter Sophia Tvaroch.  A key error allowed the Titans to score two unearned runs to take a 2-1 lead.

Graduate student Julia Hart gave Geneva the lead back in the top of the third when she powered a ball over the left field fence for a two-run home run.  Westminster tied the game back up in the bottom of the inning as the defense allowed in another unearned run.

The Titans retook the lead in the bottom of the fourth after Geneva's defense was unable to make a couple of possible plays, and a third GT error led to another run.  Westminster added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth and the Geneva offense was unable to rally before falling 5-3.

Tvaroch pitched all six innings, giving up 11 hits and five runs, but just two were earned.  She struck out six.

Hart led the attack, going 2-for-3 with the home run.  Junior Madison Rapp also contributed two hits in the game.

In game two, Geneva again got on the board first.  The Golden Tornadoes loaded the bases with one out in the top of the second.  Rapp scored on a fielder's choice that reloaded the bases, but Geneva couldn't come up with the big hit to add to their lead and stranded all three runners.

Westminster got to junior starter McKenzie Rapp in the bottom of the third after another error proved huge.  Rapp retired the first two batters, and after a home run tied the game at 1-1, an error kept the inning alive.  The Titans took full advantage of the extra out, eventually plating six runs in the inning, the last five unearned.  Another Westminster home run in the fourth, this one a two-run homer, extended the Titan lead to 8-1.

The Geneva offense put together a rally in the top of the fifth.  The Golden Tornadoes loaded the bases with one out, and Shelley came home on a wild pitch.  Hart followed with an RBI-single, and then junior Justine Robbins hit a blast to centerfield for a three-run home run, pulling the Golden Tornadoes within 8-6.

Unfortunately, Geneva couldn't complete the comeback attempt.  The Titans added three more runs in the bottom of the sixth for extra insurance, which proved important.  Geneva did score twice in the seventh on an RBI-single from Robbins and a sacrifice fly from Rapp, but the Golden Tornadoes fell short, 11-8.

Robbins led the offense with a 2-for-4 effort, homering and driving in four runs.  Junior Lexi Zanic reached base all four times, going 2-for-2 with two walks.

Geneva will try to rebound on Wednesday when the softball team travels to Saint Vincent for a doubleheader starting at 3:30 p.m.