Meier Sets Program Wins Record Against Morrisville State

AURORA, N.Y. – Senior pitcher Lorelei Meier (Caledonia, N.Y.) recorded a program-record 16th victory within the circle for the Wells College softball team as they split a Sunday afternoon doubleheader against the Mustangs of Morrisville State College at the Wells College softball field. Exiting play this afternoon, the Express boast an overall record of 3-5 while maintaining a .500 mark against North Eastern Athletic Conference opponents (3-3). The Mustangs earned their first victory of the season to improve to 1-9 at the day's end while falling to 1-3 against league opponents.

Meier, with her 16th career pitching victory, eclipses Alyson Mann '12 for the all-time program lead in wins as a pitcher. Late last season, Meier captured the all-time record for the most career strikeouts by a pitcher (190) and, to date, ranks first in shutouts (4), strikeouts per seven innings (5.90) and earned run average (5.27).  Additionally, Meier currently ranks second all-time in innings pitched (268.1) and pitching appearances (47) – offensively, Meier stands ninth all-time in batting average (.291, 65-for-223) and ninth in runs scored (35).

In the first game of the doubleheader, the Express committed seven fielding errors en route to a 7-3 loss at the hands of the Mustangs. Meier, who earned the start in the first game, allowed only one earned run and was victimized by numerous fielding miscues to account for six of the team's seven runs scored.

Morrisville jumped out in front by a 3-0 margin in the top of the first inning. Meier was able to induce the first two outs of the inning before a throwing error by Wells preceded two straight singles and a double, driving in three runs. Wells countered in the home half of the third inning, utilizing an error by the Morrisville State left fielder to plate two runs.

A Wells error in the fourth inning directly led to a Morrisville State run while an additional unearned run was plated in the sixth inning due to a Wells miscue. A leadoff error in the seventh inning later scored and was an additional unearned run charged to the team.

In total, Meier struck out seven Morrisville State batters while allowing eight hits. For Morrisville State, Jenna D'Ercole allowed three runs, one earned, while fanning eight Express batters. D'Ercole induced 10 flyouts in the game while facing 30 batters.

In the second game of the doubleheader, the Express rebounded from an early 1-0 deficit to score 12 runs in the second and third innings en route to a 12-4 victory. In the second inning, a leadoff error by the Mustangs set the tone for the inning as Kendrick Wilson (Collins, N.Y.) was on base to start the rally. With the bases loaded, a single by freshman Marie Valliere (Chicopee, Mass.) plated both Wilson and classmate Dayna Vibbard (Edmeston, N.Y.) to take the lead. An RBI groundout by Meier preceded a double by freshman Kylie Nishioka (Encinitas, Calif.), who drove in Valliere.

Wells hung eight runs on the Mustangs as Achzet and Wilson led off the inning with back-to-back singles. Vibbard followed with a two-RBI single to center field, driving both runs in after the runners advanced following a passed ball. Valliere continued her hot hitting, plating freshman Karley Raczynski (Fonda, N.Y.) with the inning's third run. A wild pitch scored Vibbard while freshman Michaela Patterson (Chaumont, N.Y.), who reached on an earlier walk, scored on a botched catch in center field by Paige Stone (Madison, N.Y.).

The big blow in the fourth inning came from Achzet, who hammered a three-run home run that drove in both Stone and Valliere. The big blast was Achzet's first collegiate home run and the second overall home run for Wells on the season.

Meier collected her third victory of the season, striking out six batters and allowing only two earned runs to score. Tiffany Burks was saddled with her fifth loss of the season, allowing six earned runs in two innings of work. D'Ercole relieved Burks and allowed one earned run in two innings before the game was called in the fifth inning.

In the second game, Patterson collected her first collegiate hit and scored her first two collegiate runs.

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