WILDCATS TAKE AFTERNOON DOUBLE-HEADER FROM EXPRESS

(Utica, N.Y.)─ The Wells College softball team fell in the opening day of their North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) schedule as the SUNY IT Wildcats took both games of the afternoon double-header by a score of 8-0 and 10-0 on Saturday afternoon in Utica, N.Y. The loss drops the Express to 0-6 (0-2 NEAC), while the Wildcats improve to 8-3 (4-0 NEAC).
 
Lorelei Meier paced the Express finishing the day 3-5, including a 2-2 for performance in game two. Paige Stone and Juli Vibbard each collected two hits on the afternoon, while Alyssa Acquaviva, Molly Ploof, and Kristen Ryan each finished with one hit.
 
Game one would be tight through the first four innings of play. SUNY IT threatened in the bottom of first putting runners on first and second with one out but Express starting pitcher Lorelei Meier held strong, forcing the next two batters into a fly out and groundout to keep the game scoreless.
 
The Wildcats struck in the bottom half of the second and all with two outs. Brittany Brown started the inning with a single to right and would advance to second on wild pitch. Meier retired the next two batter but Brown would come around on a squeeze play by Kristen Jones for a 1-0 lead. Lyndsey Brognano stepped to the plate next knocking an RBI double to give the Wildcats a 2-0 lead after two.
 
After the two teams played a scoreless third and fourth inning, the Express bats came alive in the fifth. Ploof singled to right and Vibbard followed with bunt single, putting runners on first and second with one out. Both runners advanced on a deep fly out by Meier putting both in scoring position with two outs but the next batter rolled out to second ending the threat.  
 
The Wildcat hitters came out slugging in the fifth as they would plate six runs on two homeruns, triggering the eight run rule and earning the victory. Meier took the loss on the mound for the Express, while Juleah Vedder earned the victory for the Wildcats striking out seven while walking none.
 
The Wildcats picked up right where they left off in game two, plating four runs in the first and five in the second as they would jump out to a quick 9-0 lead. The Express were unable to generate much offense off of pitchers Meaghan McGurn and Tiffani Trolle, who combined to throw five innings, scattering five hits while allowing no runs.
 
The Express return to action tomorrow when they take on NEAC foe Morrisville State with game one of the conference double-header set to begin at 1 p.m. in Morrisville.