Chicopee, MA - Vermont State University Lyndon built big leads in both ends of Sunday's softball doubleheader at Elms College. The Hornets withstood late Elms rallies in both games to pick up their first two wins of the season. Lyndon moved to 2-11 on the campaign, while Elms fell to 2-12.
Game 1 - VTSU Lyndon 11, Elms 8
Lyndon put nine runs on the board in the top of the first inning, capped by an Ann Watkins (Los Angeles, CA) grand slam home run. the Hornets added two more runs in the second inning, then held off an Elms rally when Emily Anderson (Levittown, NY) came on in relief to get the final five outs of the game.
Seairra Anderson (Somersworth, NH) and Shyanne Glencross (Tilton, NH) had two hits and two runs batted in apiece for the Hornets. Bailey Quire (Gainesville, FL) started and picked up the win in the circle for Lyndon, striking out seven against four walks while allowing seven earned runs over 5.1 innings. Emily Anderson got the save with 1.2 innings of hitless relief.
Jill Dykema had a big game at the plate for Elms. She went three for four with two runs batted in and two runs scored. Danajah Stokes also had thre hits. Kaelyn Zakaitis started in the circle and took the loss.
Game 2 - VTSU Lyndon 11, Elms 7
The Hornets jumped out to a 5-2 lead after two and a half innings, then appeared to put the game out of reach with five runs in the top of the seventh, only to survive an Elms rally in the bottom of the final frame.
Lindsey Gannon (Beverly, MA) paced the Lyndon attack with three hits, two runs batted in, and a run scored. Watkins, Glencross, and Riley McNamara (Manchester, NH) all chipped in with two hits, as did Emily Anderson, who helped her own cause in the circle with a double, a single, and a run scored. Claudia Knapp (Howell, NJ) hit a two-run home run in Lyndon's five-run seventh inning. Anderson allowed five earned runs and struck out six against two walks over seven innings.
Kyla Cook was four for four for the Blazers. Dykema added three hits and Kelsey Bennett chipped in with two hits, two runs batted in, and a run scored. Reece Herbbert went the distance in the circle in taking the loss. She allowed five earned runs with two strikeouts and two walks.
Lyndon returns to action on Wednesday, when they travel to Norwich University for a 2:00 pm non-conference doubleheader.