SOFTBALL SENIOR DAY GAME PROGRAM
SOFTBALL SENIOR DAY PHOTO GALLERY

AURORA, N.Y. – For the first time in her career, pitcher Lorelei Meier (Caledonia, N.Y.) picked up both victories in one doubleheader as the Wells College softball team posted back-to-back victories over the Wildcats of Cazenovia College Sunday afternoon. With the victories, the Express improve to 6-10 overall and to 6-8 within the North Eastern Athletic Conference. The Wildcats fall to 4-24 overall and to 4-12 in league play.

In the first game, the Express posted a 5-3 victory and claimed a 6-5 extra inning victory in the final tilt of the afternoon. Meier, who pitched all 15 innings in the circle for Wells, allowed only five earned runs while striking out nine batters and was 2-0 on the day for the first time in her career. Meier is the first Wells pitcher to collect the victorious decision in both games of a doubleheader since Beth Cereo '10 accomplished that feat against Franciscan on Apr. 12, 2008. 

Freshman Karley Raczynski (Fonda, N.Y.) placed the Express out in front by a 3-1 margin in the first inning, ripping a bases-loaded triple to deep center field that plated all of the Wells runners. The Express added additional insurance as senior Paige Stone (Madison, N.Y.) scored on a Cazenovia throwing error in the fifth while freshman Michaela Patterson (Chaumont, N.Y.) grounded out to second base, driving in junior Theresa Hernandez (Dewitt, N.Y.) in the sixth inning.

Pitcher Jenna Kraeger, who also posted one of her team's three hits in the opener, was saddled with the loss after striking out six Wells batters in six innings. Meier allowed only three hits and one earned run in seven innings of work in the first game.

Despite Cazenovia scoring the game's first run for the second consecutive game against Wells, the Express rebounded for two runs in the home half of the second inning. A leadoff single by freshman Kendrick Wilson (Collins, N.Y.) started the Wells attack, as she later came around to score on a throwing error by the Cazenovia shortstop to tie the game at one. A bunt single by Patterson drove in Hernandez, who reached on the error, to grant Wells a 2-1 lead.

An RBI double by catcher Angelica Clark in the top of the sixth inning temporarily tied the game at two apiece. In the top of the seventh inning, Cazenovia tied the game following an RBI single by Hilary Hext down the left field line that umpires deemed fair as it passed over third base. Wells, however, was able to dramatically force extra frames as freshman Marie Valliere (Chicopee, Mass.) singled to right field, driving in Hernandez with the game-tying run with two outs.

Cazenovia answered back, plating two runs of their own in the top of the eighth inning to take a 5-3 lead. With Jenna Kraiger placed on second to begin the inning, a hit-by-pitch and a passed ball preceded a stolen base attempt by Paige Altman to place runners at second and third for center fielder Alyssa Connor. The Cazenovia batter laid down a textbook bunt, eventually reaching at first on the play that scored Kraiger with what was then an insurance run. An RBI single by Calyn Fisher added the inning's second run before Meier was able to settle down and induce the inning's final two outs.

The Express posted their first walk-off victory of the season by rallying in the home half of the eighth inning. With Stone placed on second for Wells, the Express took advantage of four fielding errors in the frame by Cazenovia to collect the 6-5 comeback victory. Stone, who had advanced to third base following a throwing error by the catcher, scored after the ensuing batter, Wilson, reached on an error by the shortstop. Raczynski later reached on an error by the third baseman while freshman Dayna Vibbard (Edmeston, N.Y.) pounded a hit toward first that was misplayed, allowing both Raczynski and Wilson to score the game tying and game winning runs.

The extra inning contest was the first for Wells dating back to a 10-6 loss in eight innings to SUNY Institute of Technology on Apr. 9, 2011 – it was the first walk-off hit for Wells since Stone hammered a grand slam against Green Mountain College on Mar. 22, 2012 in Queensbury, N.Y. Wells posted their first doubleheader sweep since Apr. 19, 2012 in which they swept Cobleskill St. on the road.

In a pre-game ceremony, Meier, Stone and Lauren Dunster (Auburn, N.Y.) were honored and recognized for their contributions to the program across their tenure. They were presented with gifts from Head Coach Jamie Trudeau and their teammates.

The Express return to action Tuesday, Apr. 23 as they face-off against the Wildcats of SUNY Institute of Technology in a road doubleheader beginning at 3:00 p.m. Stay up to date with the latest news directly from the Wells College athletic department by "liking" us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/WellsExpress) and subscribing to our Twitter account (http://www.twitter.com/WellsExpress).