Lyndonville, VT - Vermont State University erased a four-run deficit in game one then pounded out 13 hits in game two en route to a sweep of Monday's North Atlantic Conference softball doublheader with Eastern Nazarene College. The Hornets improved to 8-17 on the season and 3-7 in conference while the Lions fell to 11-25 overall and 4-8 in the NAC.
Game 1 - VTSU Lyndon 6, Eastern Nazarene 5
The Lions got off to a fast start. Leah Saunders walked leading off and promptly stole second. Cayley McCurdy followed with a base hit, scoring Saunders. Bailey Olaveson's base hit put runners at second and third. McCurdy scored on Abby Stansbury's ground out, then Olaveson came home on Faith Bonar's sacrifice fly, making it 3-0, Eastern Nazarene.
The Lions tacked on a run in the top of the second inning. Danielle Maliszewski reached on a fielder's choice and later scored on Olaveson's base hit.
Eastern Nazarene would maintain the 4-0 lead until the Lyndon half of the fifth inning. Lindsey Gannon (Beverly, MA) got the Hornets started with a one-out walk. Anne Watkins (Los Angeles, CA) reached on a botched fielder's choice, putting runners at the corners. Watkins and Gannon then executed a double steal, with Gannon scoring the first Hornet run. Blake Southworth (Bethel, VT) beat out an infield hit, and an errant throw allowed Watkins to score. Claudia Knapp (Howell, NJ) doubled, driving in Southworth to make it a one-run game. After Saleena Porter (St. Johnsbury, VT) singled and stole second, Riann Fortin (Newport, VT) came through with a two-out, two-run base hit to give Lyndon a 5-4 lead.
Bonar led off the top of the seventh inning with a base hit, putting the tying run on base. After Alexys Giddings walked and Izabel Pozar hit into a fielder's choice, Maliszewski reached on an error that allowed Giddings to come home and tie the game at 6-6.
Knapp reached on an error and moved to second leading off the bottom of the seventh inning. She took third on a wild pitch. After Porter drew a walk and stole second, Victoria Valentine (East Burke, VT) beat out an infield hit to load the bases. One out later, Seairra Anderson (Somersworth, NH) lined a base hit to left, driving in Knapp and giving Lyndon the walk-off win.
Bailey Quire (Gainesville, FL) went the distance in the circle and earned the win for Lyndon. She allowed four earned runs and nine hits while striking out four and walking four. McCurdy came on in the seventh inning and took the loss for Eastern Nazarene.
Game 2 - VTSU Lyndon 9, Eastern Nazarene 2
Eastern Nazarene again jumped in front in the nightcap. Madison Murray drew a one-out walk, then Olaveson singled. Stansbury's hit drove in Murray, then Olaveson scored on Bonar's sacrifice fly to make it 2-0, Lions.
Lyndon responded with four runs of their own in the home first inning. Southworth singled with one out. Knapp followed with a base hit, then Porter's RBI single drove in Southworth. After Porter stole second, Fortin walked to load the bases. Anderson come through with a two-run base hit to give the Hornets the lead. Foritin then moved up and scored on a pair of wild pitches, giving Lyndon a 4-2 lead after one.
The Hornets added a run in the bottom of the second inning. Watkins singled leading off and later scored on a wild pitch.
Lyndon made it 6-2 in the bottom of the fourth. Knapp singled, then Porter reached on an error. After Valentine sacrifice bunted the runners over, Fortin grounded out, scoring Knapp.
The Hornets tacked on another run in the bottom of the fifth inning and two in the sixth to break the game open. That would be more than enough for Valentine, who settled in after the first inning and shut the Lions out the rest of the way. She allowed five hits and struck out three against one walk to earn the complete game victory. Bonar started and took the loss for Eastern Nazarene.
Lyndon's Tuesday doubleheader at Vermont State University Johnson has been postponed due to expected inclement weather. No reschedule date has been announced. the Hornets' next scheduled games are a Saturday doubleheader at Lesley University that begons at 1:00 pm.
