Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 WASHINGTON, Pa. -- The Grove City College softball team clinched a berth in next week's six-team Presidents' Athletic Conference Championship Tournament by earning a 5-1 win Wednesday afternoon in the first game of a conference doubleheader at Washington & Jefferson. W&J took Game Two at Brooks Park, 5-2.

Junior pitcher Kaitlyn Constantino (Clarion, Pa./Clarion) fired a four-hitter for Grove City in the opener to earn her 10th win of the season. Constantino (10-6) struck out two and did not allow a walk in seven innings.

Grove City (19-14, 11-7 PAC) trailed 1-0 in the fourth inning but snatched the lead by scoring twice. Sophomore DP Brooke Brodie (Mogadore, Ohio/Mogadore) tied the game with a sacrifice fly that scored sophomore second baseman Maci Linhart (Columbiana, Ohio/Columbiana). Grove City took the lead when sophomore pinch runner Ella Krarup (New Wilmington, Pa./Wilmington) scored on a groundout by senior shortstop Lexi Buck (Akron, Ohio/Lake Center Christian).

Linhart pushed the lead to 3-1 in the fifth inning by singling in junior left fielder Lauren McNeil (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio/Cuyahoga Valley Christian). The Wolverines then added single runs in the sixth and seventh innings. Sophomore third baseman Rachel Zona (New Castle, Pa./New Castle) scored on a wild pitch in the sixth inning while Linhart crossed home in the seventh inning when junior catcher Emily Smyth (Lititz, Pa./Manheim Township) cracked a double to center field.

Linhart paced Grove City by going 3 for 4. Zona tripled and singled while junior Erin Mulholland (Malvern, Pa./Delaware County Christian) doubled in the win.

Freshman center fielder Noel Anthony (Clarion, Pa./Clarion) and senior pitcher Janessa Dawson (Zanesville, Ohio/Tri-Valley) both singled twice for the Wolverines in Game Two. 

Grove City broke through in the sixth inning when Brodie singled in Linhart. In the seventh, Linhart singled home senior pinch runner Clare Moran (Watertown, N.Y./Indian River). Grove City left the bases loaded in the seventh inning, however. 

Dawson threw a complete game by allowing two earned runs in six innings. She struck out two batters and issued two walks. 

Grove City will close the regular season Thursday at 3:30 p.m. with a home doubleheader against conference foe Saint Vincent (12-6 PAC) at College Field.