BEAVER FALLS, Pa. – The Geneva College softball team finally got a chance to play at home on Saturday afternoon, hosting a doubleheader against Thiel, after 16 games away from Beaver Falls.  Junior Sophia Tvaroch pitched a two-hit shutout in game one, a 4-0 victory, before Thiel responded with an 8-2 win in game two to split the doubleheader.  Geneva's record is now 14-4 overall, 3-3 in the Presidents' Athletic Conference.

Tvaroch retired the Tomcats in order in the top of the first of game one, and Geneva's offense came to life against Thiel starter Becca Landis, who would prove to be the only pitcher the Tomcats used in both games.  Freshman Molly Shelley led off with a walk, stole second base and went to third on an errant throw from the catcher.  She came home on an RBI-groundout from junior Madison Rapp.  Junior Lexi Zanic followed with a triple, and she scored on a single from graduate student Julia Hart.

Geneva added two more runs in the bottom of the second.  The Golden Tornadoes loaded the bases with two outs, and Zanic drew a walk to drive in one run.  Shelley scored two pitches later on a wild pitch to increase the Golden Tornado lead to 4-0.

That was more than enough runs for Tvaroch.  She didn't allow a hit until the sixth inning, and only once did a Tomcat even advance to second base.  Tvaroch pitched all seven innings and gave up just two singles, while striking out seven, to earn her fifth win of the season.

Geneva managed just four hits in the game, with Shelley reaching base twice on a hit and a walk, while stealing two bases and scoring two runs.

Junior McKenzie Rapp got the start in the circle in game two, and after a scoreless top of the first, the Geneva offense started well again in the bottom of the frame.  Shelley led off with a triple, and after a walk and a stolen base by Zanic put two runners in scoring position, Hart drove home both with a single to give the Golden Tornadoes an early 2-0 lead.

The key play in the game occurred in the top of the second.  Thiel had two on and two outs when the Golden Tornadoes were unable to catch an infield pop-up that would have ended the innings, and that error opened the floodgates for the Tomcats.  Thiel followed with three straight hits that eventually produced five unearned runs.

Geneva never recovered after the big inning by Thiel.  Landis shut down the Geneva offense the rest of the way, eventually throwing a combined 227 pitches in the two games combined, and the Tomcats pulled away for the 8-2 win.

Rapp was the tough-luck loser, pitching four innings while giving up six runs, but just one was earned.

Shelley and junior Payton James led the offense in game two with two hits apiece.  Hart drove in two runs.

Geneva heads back out onto the road this week, with doubleheaders at Waynesburg on Wednesday and Baldwin Wallace on Thursday.  After those games, the women will have a stretch of six of eight doubleheaders at home over the next three weeks.