BEAVER FALLS, Pa. – The Geneva softball team coasted to a doubleheader sweep at home against Franciscan University on Friday afternoon, defeating the Barons 10-2 in the first contest and winning the second game 15-3, both in five innings. It was a wonderful way to send out the departing class on their Senior Day, as the two games were the final PAC doubleheader of their collegiate careers. The Golden Tornadoes' record jumps to 31-7 with the two wins, and they finish out the conference regular season with an 18-4 record in PAC play.
Geneva scored the majority of its runs in the opening inning of game one. After senior starter
McKenzie Rapp held the Barons scoreless in the top of the inning, the GTs struck for nine runs in the bottom half. A couple of two-RBI singles by seniors
Lexi Zanic and
Mallie Ruscitti, along with a bases-clearing double from junior
Molly Shelley, were the highlights of the inning.
Rapp retired seven of the next eight Franciscan batters to keep the visitors off the board. Geneva scored one more run when senior
Justine Robbins scored from third base on a wild pitch, but after head coach
Van Zanic put some of his bench in the GTs' offense cooled down. The Barons scored two runs in the fifth inning, but it wasn't enough to prevent Geneva from winning 10-2 by run rule.
Rapp earned the win in game one, moving to 11-4 on the season after pitching a scoreless 3.1 innings. Senior
Alena Campbell came in and finished the job, tossing 1.2 innings and only allowing two unearned runs. Shelley and Robbins each went 2-for-2 with a double on the offensive side, with Shelley's three RBIs leading the women.
Between the two games of the doubleheader, the nine seniors on this year's roster were honored for their contributions to the program. Zanic, Ruscitti, Robbins, Campbell,
Payton James,
Jorja Koerner,
Sophia Tvaroch, and McKenzie and
Madison Rapp were all recognized. This senior class has been one of the best in the history of Geneva's softball program, winning 115 games over the course of their four years and advancing to the PAC playoff tournament each of those seasons.
The Golden Tornadoes jumped out to an early lead in game two as well. After Franciscan scored a run in the top of the first inning, the women responded with four of their own in the bottom of the frame, with another two-RBI single from Ruscitti proving to be the big hit.
Tvaroch was the game two starter for Geneva, and she settled down after the first inning. A two-RBI double by junior
Faith Bonar in the second inning gave her some more run support, and then a home run from Robbins in the third frame that went way over the left field fence increased the GTs' advantage to 9-1. They piled on six more runs in the fourth, and went on to win 15-3.
Tvaroch secured her 14
th win of the year, striking out four batters in 3.1 innings. Again, Robbins was the big hitter for the women, going 2-for-3 in game two with a home run, two RBIs, and two runs scored.
Geneva plays one more regular season doubleheader next week, a non-conference tilt with Baldwin Wallace on Monday, April 27 on Conrady Field. Game one will begin at 3:30. After that, the women will turn their attention to the PAC playoffs, which begin the following Thursday.
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).
