BEAVER FALLS, Pa. -- The Grove City College softball team opened its 20-game Presidents' Athletic Conference campaign Monday afternoon by splitting a doubleheader at longtime rival Geneva. After dropping a 9-3 decision in the opener, Grove City rebounded for a 12-9 victory in Game Two.

Grove City posted four runs in the top of the first inning in the nightcap, then added five more runs in the second inning as the Wolverines stormed out to a 9-0 lead. Senior shortstop Lexi Buck (Akron, Ohio/Lake Center Christian) cracked a two-run single in the first inning to give the Wolverines their 4-0 lead. 

Sophomore second baseman Maci Linhart (Columbiana, Ohio/Columbiana) tripled home senior first baseman Janessa Dawson (Zanesville, Ohio/Tri-Valley) to push the lead to 5-0 in the second inning. Junior catcher Emily Smyth (Lititz, Pa./Manheim Township) doubled in Linhart, further extending the lead. 

Buck capped the rally with a bases-clearing double that scored junior DP Lauren Harris (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny), junior left fielder Lauren McNeil (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio/Cuyahoga Valley Christian) and sophomore third baseman Rachel Zona (New Castle, Pa./New Castle). 

Geneva whittled the lead to 9-3 but Grove City posted three more runs in the fourth inning. Sophomore right fielder Annika Rinehart (McDonald, Pa./Fort Cherry) drove in Zona with a double. Buck scored Grove City's 11th run on a wild pitch and Rinehart later scored while Geneva had Linhart caught in a rundown.

Dawson went 3 for 5 to help pace Grove City's 14-hit attack. Linhart, Rinehart and Smyth all finished 2 for 4. 

Junior pitcher Kaitlyn Constantino (Clarion, Pa./Clarion) threw a complete game in the circle to secure the win. She struck out five in seven innings. 

McNeil and senior first baseman Michaela Ban (Kittanning, Pa./Armstrong) both went 2 for 3 in the opener for Grove City (7-7) while junior DP Erin Mulholland (Malvern, Pa./Delaware County Christian) finished 2 for 4. 

Rinehart drove in McNeil in the second innning with a sacrifice fly. Dawson singled in Buck in the fourth inning while an error allowed sophomore center fielder Ella Krarup (New Wilmington, Pa./Wilmington) to score. 

Dawson threw a complete game, yielding six earned runs in six innings. She struck out four and did not walk a batter. 

Grove City will host Bethany in a conference doubleheader Thursday at 3:30 p.m. That will be Grove City's 2023 home opener at College Field.