Waterville, ME - Thomas College swept a North Atlantic Conference softball doubleheader from Vermont State University Lyndon on Saturday afternoon. The games were played at Colby College. Thomas improved to 6-16 overall and 4-2 in the NAC, while Lyndon fell to 5-14 on the season and 1-5 in conference.
Game 1 - Thomas 9, VTSU Lyndon 1
The Terriers got on the board with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning. Megn Oberholzer singled leading off and Jennie Whitten followed with a double. Emily Rock's base hit drove in both runners to put Thomas in front.
Lyndon got one back ion the top of the third inning. Blake Southworth (Bethel, VT), reached with a two-out single, then scored on Claudia Knapp's (Howell, NJ) RBI double.
Thomas broke open the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. With one out, Leah Knight walked and stole second. Megan Rock then doubled, driving in Knight. After Oberholzer walked, Whitten singled, scoring Rock. After both runners moved up on a passed ball, Emily Rock lifted a sacrifice fly, bringing in Oberholzer. Kayla Duhaime's base hit drive in Whitten, making it 6-1, Thomas.
Thomas earned the walkoff win with three more runs in the sixth inning. Abby Farone and Layla Pickering drew back to back walks to start the inning. Knight's base hit scored Farone, then Pickering came home on Megan Rock's ground out. Whitten's single then plated Knight for the win.
Addy Boyce went the distance for Thomas to earn the win. Other than the two hits in the third, she only allowed a second inning single to Seairra Anderson (Somersworth, NH) while striking out six against one walk. Bailey Quire (Gainesville, FL) took the loss for Lyndon=, allowing seven earned runs and 11 hits with four strikeouts and five walks.
Game 2 - Thomas 3, VTSU Lyndon 2
The Hornets broke in front with a pair of unearned runs in the top of the third inning. Kerigan Disorda (Benson, VT) reached on an error leading off, then Ann Watkins (Los Angeles, CA) singled and stole second. Disorda scored when Southworth grounded out, then Knapp's RBI single brought home Watkins, making it 2-0, Lyndon.
Thomas tied things in the bottom half of the third. Duhaime reached on a fielder's choice, then Makayla Panich walked and Pickering singled to load the bases. Duhaime scored on a Lyndon error, then Megan Rock drew a bases loaded walk to bring home the tying run. Hornet pitcher Victoria Valentine (East Burke, VT) was able to retire the next two hitters to get out of the bases loaded jam without further damage.
The score stayed 2-2 until the home half of the sixth inning, when Whitten led off with a triple and scored on Mackenzie Toner's sacrifice fly, giving Thomas a 3-2 lead.
Whitten then struck out the side in the top of the seventh inning to close out the game for Thomas. She picked up the win, striking out six while scattering seven hits without allowing an earned run. Valentine took the loss, allowing two earned runs and five hits while striking out five and walking three.
Lyndon will host Vermont State University Johnson for a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 pm.
