BEAVER FALLS, Pa. – The Geneva College softball team split the two games of their non-conference doubleheader with Carnegie Mellon University on Wednesday, falling 6-1 in extra innings in the first game before winning game two via run rule, 11-3, in just six innings. The two contests could not have gone more differently for the Golden Tornadoes, who struggled to score runs in the first game but swung the bat very well in the second. The split gives Geneva a 19-10 record on the year, while the Tartans now stand at 12-15 overall.

Game one was a pitcher's duel right from the get-go, with neither side allowing more than two hits through the first three innings. Junior McKenzie Rapp got the start for the women, and she shut out the Tartans through seven frames. Unfortunately, the Golden Tornadoes could not plate a run during that time either, sending numerous runners to second base but never pushing any across home plate. After seven, the score remained knotted at 0-0, with each side recording five hits, and the game was set for extra innings.

A costly Geneva error allowed two Carnegie Mellon runs to score early on in the top of the eighth inning, and things went downhill from there for the GTs. The visitors scored four more times before junior Alena Campbell came in to retire the side. Geneva got one run back in the bottom of the frame on an RBI-single from junior Madison Rapp, but it wasn't enough as the women lost game one 6-1 in eight innings.

Rapp got tagged for the loss despite tossing an excellent game. In 7.0+ innings of work, she allowed just three earned runs, striking out five and walking just one. Sophomore Molly Shelley was the only Golden Tornado to record multiple hits in the loss.

Game two was a very different story for Geneva, with the women scoring five times in the first inning alone. After the first two batters reached base, graduate student Julia Hart blasted a three-run home run to give the GTs the lead, and Madison Rapp followed that up with an RBI-triple two plate appearances later. She eventually came home on a wild pitch, and Geneva led 5-1 after one.

After junior starter Sophia Tvaroch quickly worked through the top of the inning, the Golden Tornadoes came right back with three more runs in the bottom of the second. Shelley scored on an Carnegie Mellon error on a stolen base attempt, and Hart drove in another run with an RBI-double on the very next play. Hart eventually moved over to third on a wild pitch and then scored on a double steal between herself and Madison Rapp.

With Geneva leading 8-1, Carnegie Mellon plated two runs in the top of the third inning, but the GTs got one back in the bottom half when sophomore Kyra Wilcox drove in freshman Stacey Rodriguez. The score remained at 9-3 until a sacrifice fly by junior Lexi Zanic allowed Rodriguez to score again in the fifth inning. Finally, Rodriguez ended things in the bottom of the sixth, with her RBI-double giving Geneva the win via run-rule, 11-3.

Tvaroch earned the win for the women, allowing three runs, two earned, over 4.0 innings of work. She struck out three batters in the victory while allowing just four hits. She was replaced by junior Jorja Koerner, who pitched 2.0 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit to the Tartans and striking out one.

Hart was a perfect 3-for-3 in game two with two doubles and a home run, and she finished with a team-leading four RBIs as well. Shelley had a solid 3-for-4 effort with a double and two runs scored of her own, and both Rodriguez and Madison Rapp finished 2-for-3 with an RBI, with Rodriguez notching two doubles and Rapp hitting a triple.

The women play again right away, taking on Grove City in another home doubleheader tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. Tomorrow's contests are games three and four in an eight-game homestand for the GTs.

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).