LATROBE, Pa. -- The Grove City College softball team opened its 2021 Presidents' Athletic Conference schedule by splitting a doubleheader Tuesday afternoon at Saint Vincent. Grove City earned a 4-2 victory in the opener. In Game Two, Grove City scored twice in the seventh inning to forge a 6-6 tie but ultimately fell in nine innings, 7-6.
Senior DP
Hannah Dietz (Allison Park, Pa./Hampton) highlighted Game One for Grove City by belting her 11th career home run, a two-run blast in the first inning. Dietz now has sole possession of Grove City's career home run record. She had been tied for first place with former standout Kelsey Shirey (2011-15).
Dietz's home run gave Grove City a 2-0 lead. The Wolverines then extended the lead with single runs in the third and sixth innings. Junior second baseman
Cara Polese (San Diego, Calif./Canyon Crest) singled in junior center fielder
Morgan Prouty (Cranberry Township, Pa./Seneca Valley) in the third inning. In the sixth, junior shortstop
Lexi Buck (Akron, Ohio/Lake Center Christian) drove home sophomore right fielder
Mariah Francis (Randolph, Ohio/Waterloo) with a sacrifice fly.
Senior pitcher
Ashley Cornelius (Youngstown, Ohio/Boardman) fired a complete game for Grove City and earned her fifth victory. She allowed one earned run in seven innings. Cornelius struck out three and walked one.
Grove City trailed 6-4 in the nightcap but rallied in the seventh inning. Freshman third baseman
Maralee Caldana (Milesburg, Pa./Bald Eagle Area) singled home freshman pinch runner
Erin Mulholland (Malvern, Pa./Delaware County Christian) to cut the lead to 6-5. Freshman
Lauren McNeil (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio/Cuyahoga Valley Christian) ran for Caldana and later scored the tying run on Prouty's single to right field.
The Wolverines took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third when sophomore pitcher
Janessa Dawson (Zanesville, Ohio/Tri-Valley) doubled and then scored on a Dietz single. Saint Vincent countered with three runs in the bottom of the inning, taking its first lead of the nightcap.
Grove City reclaimed the lead with a three-run fifth inning. Dawson singled and later scored on a Dietz double. Dietz scored the tying run when Caldana scored. Buck put Grove City up 4-3 when her single brought in senior first baseman
Haley Dietz (Allison Park, Pa./Hampton).
Grove City finished with 14 hits.
Hannah Dietz went 3 for 4. Buck, Caldana, Dawson, Polese and Prouty each had two hits.
Dawson pitched four innings and allowed three earned runs. Freshman
Kaitlyn Constantino (Clarion, Pa./Clarion) pitched three innings of relief and struck out two. She yielded one earned run. Cornelius pitched the eighth and ninth innings, alllowing one run. She took the setback.
Seventeen Grove City players competed in Game Two.
The Wolverines (6-10, 1-1 PAC) will host Thiel at 3:30 p.m. Thursday in a conference doubleheader.
