BEAVER FALLS, Pa. – The Geneva College softball program defeated Chatham University in both games of its Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) doubleheader Tuesday afternoon. The women took game one in five innings via mercy rule, 13-5, and carried that offensive firepower into game two with a 10-3 victory. Those victories make it five straight for the women, who now sport a 23-10 record overall, 10-6 in PAC play. Chatham falls to 12-24 with the loss, just 4-12 in the PAC.

Prior to the first game, the softball team recognized its lone senior, outfielder Megan Gray, for her contributions to and impact on the program throughout her four years at Geneva. Gray has been actively involved with the team since she arrived at Geneva and is a career .265 hitter.

After junior McKenzie Rapp pitched a scoreless first inning, sophomore Molly Shelley started Geneva's half of the frame with a bang, driving a double down the left field line. She proceeded to steal third on the next play and quickly came home on an RBI from junior Lexi Zanic. Just like that, Geneva led 1-0 after one.

Chatham knotted the score up in the second inning, but Zanic broke the tie again in the third with another RBI, singling home junior Payton James. Graduate student Julia Hart slapped an RBI-single of her own into center field on the next at-bat, which plated sophomore Kyra Wilcox, and the Golden Tornadoes were back in front, 3-1.

The Cougars had a big fourth inning, coming from behind to take the lead with four runs in the top half of the frame. The women responded well, however, scoring nine runs of their own in the bottom half to gain a massive advantage. A Chatham error allowed the first Geneva run of the inning to score, and then Shelley picked up an RBI on a single that plated freshman Isabela Skrlac. James stole home during the next at-bat by way of a crafty double steal, and then a wild pitch allowed Shelley to score after she stole third base. Another Chatham wild pitch brought home Zanic later in the inning, and Gray hit a double into the right-center gap to send across two more runners. Geneva scored one more run on a Chatham error before the inning was over, and the GTs led 12-5 heading into the fifth.

The first three Golden Tornado batters reached base in the fifth inning as well, keeping up the momentum. Another RBI-single from Zanic allowed Shelley to come home, and Geneva took the game by mercy rule, 13-5.

Zanic finished 3-for-4, grabbing three RBIs and a stolen base in the win. Gray played very well on her senior day, going 2-for-3 from the dish with two doubles and two RBIs. Shelley, Wilcox, and Skrlac all finished with multiple hits as well for Geneva. Rapp earned the win, pitching four innings and striking out four.

The bats cooled off to start game two, with neither team managing more than one hit through the first three innings. Junior Sophia Tvaroch got the start for Geneva, and she was excellent over that span, allowing just three baserunners. Finally, Chatham broke through for two runs in the fourth, but the GTs got one back in the bottom of the inning thanks to an RBI-single from junior Justine Robbins.

It was the fifth inning that proved decisive for Geneva, as the women stormed in front thanks to Shelley triple that scored two runs. Wilcox singled her home on the very next play, and a Cougar error allowed Wilcox to cross the plate on the next at-bat. Hart pushed across another run with a single, and then Robbins capped off the six-run inning with a booming double to center that brought home Hart from first base.

A three-run homer off the bat of Shelley in the next inning gave Geneva some more breathing room, and the combination of juniors Alena Campbell and Jorja Koerner in relief kept Chatham at bay. The women closed the seventh inning out to win the game 10-3.

Shelley had an impressive second game, going 2-for-4 with a home run, a triple, and five RBIs in the victory. Robbins went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs, while Zanic recorded multiple hits as well. Campbell was credited with the win, her third of the season, pitching 2.0 innings of scoreless relief and allowing just one hit.

The GTs look to stay hot as the regular season draws to a close, facing off against Bethany tomorrow, April 23^rd, at 3:30 p.m., before closing PAC play with a doubleheader at Franciscan on Saturday, April 26^th.

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).