Myrtle Beach, SC - The Northern Vermont University-Lyndon softball team split two games on their first day of play at the Fastpitch Field of Dreams Classic. The Hornets squared off against in-state rivals Northern Vermont University-Johnson and Castleton University. Lyndon downed NVU-Johnson, 9-5, in the day's first game, before dropping a 12-4 decision to the Spartans in game two. Lyndon is now 3-1 on the young season. The games were the season openers for both Johnson and Castleton.
Game 1 - NVU-Lyndon 9, NVU-Johnson 5
The Hornets got on the scoreboard first with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third inning. Seairra Anderson (Somersworth, NJ) and Saleena Porter (St. Johnsbury, VT) delivered back to back base hits to open the inning. Two batters later, Blake Southworth (Bethel, VT) delivered an RBI single, scoring Anderson. Porter then came home on a wild pitch to make it 2-0, Hornets.
Johnson pushed across three runs in the top of the third inning to take the lead. Allyson Hefner walked to start the inning. Matea Smith had a base hit, then Savannah Dufresene reached on an error, allowing both runners to score and tie the game. Two outs later, Evelyn Brubaker's RBI single gave the Badgers a 3-2 lead.
The Johnson lead would prove to be short lived, as the Lyndon bats came alive in the bottom half of the third. Anderson led things off with a base hit, then Porter reached on an error. Emily Anderson's (Levittown, NY) single scored Seairra Anderson to tie things. Southworth's two-RBI base hit then put the Hornets back in front, 5-3. Victoria Valentine (Lyndon, VT) singled home Porter, then Claudia Knapp (Howell, NJ) broke the game open with a two-run home run, giving the Hornets an 8-3 lead through three innings.
The Hornets added a run in the bottom of the fourth inning without the benefit of a base hit. Seairra Anderson reached on an error, then came around to score following a wild pitch and another Badger error.
Johnson was able to get two runs back in the top half of the sixth inning. Brubaker drew a one-out walk and Mariah Muskin followed with a base hit. Jennavieve Rapoza's two-RBI base hit scored both runners to cut the Lyndon lead to 9-5. That would be as close as the Badgers would get, however, as Emily Anderson kept Johnson scoreless the rest of the way to pick up the win.
Game 2 - Castleton 12, NVU-Lyndon 4
The Spartans struck first in the day's second game. Kate LaPan doubled to start the game. Jamie Boyle's double one out later would score LaPan and stake Castleton to the early lead.
The Hornets responded with three runs in the bottom half of the first inning. Back to back one-out base hits from Valentine and Knapp got the rally started. With two outs, Seairra Anderson singled to drive home Valentine, then Porter followed with a two-run double to give Lyndon a 3-1 lead.
Castleton got one run back in the top of the third inning. Boyle singled, then Machaila Arjavich followed with another base hit. When the Hornets misplayed the ball, Boyle came around to score to make it 3-2, Lyndon.
The Spartans took the lead in the top of the fourth inning. Allison Almond reached on an error leading off. Then, with two outs, doubles from LaPan and Boyle sanwiched around a single from Hannah Mosher produced three unearned runs and gave Castleton a 5-3 lead.
Knapp's solo home run, her second of the day, in the bottom of the fifth inning brought the Hornets back within one run.
Castleton broke things open with five runs in the top half of the sixth inning. Kayla Fac led off with a double. After LaPan singled, Mosher laced a double, scoring both runners. Two batters later Arjavich tripled home Mosher. Back to back Hornet errors then led to two more Hornet runs, as Castleton extended their advantage to 10-4. The Spartans added two insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning to account for the final score.
The Hornets will play two more games at the North Myrtle Beach Sports Complex tomorrow. They will play Massachusetts Maritime Academy at noon and follow that up with an exhibition game against Howard Community College at 2:00 pm.
