Johnson, VT - Sophomore pitcher Riley McNamara (Manchester, NH) tossed a five-hit shutout to lead Vermont State University Lyndon to a win in the nightcap of Monday's North Atlantic Conference softball doubleheader at Vermont State University Johnson. The Badgers had held off the Hornets to take the opener, leaving both teams at 1-1 in conference play. Lyndon is now 4-13 overall, while Johnson is 3-6 on the campaign.
Game 1 - VTSU Johnson 4, VTSU Lyndon 3
Johnson jumped in front in the bottom of the first inning when Kristie Zator hit a home run leading off. Audrey Tembreull followed with a double, then back to back hits from Gabi Lafreniere and Hannah Corvino gave the Badgers a 3-0 lead.
The score would remain 3-0 until the top of the fourth inning, when Lyndon used a two-out rally to get back into the game. Shyanne Glencross (Tilton, NH) reached on an error to start things. Seairra Anderson (Somersworth, NH) followed with a base hit, then McNamara doubled, driving in both runners, to bring Lyndon within 3-2.
The Hornets pulled even in the top of the fifth inning. Ann Watkins (Los Angeles, CA) got on base thanks to a Badger error, then Lindsey Gannon (Beverly, MA) singled and Claudia Knapp (Howell, NJ) walked to load the bases. Glencross drew another walk, bringing home Watkins to tie things up. Corvino, the Johnson pitcher, was able to get the final out of the inning to leave the bases full of Hornets.
Johnson regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning when Zator led off with a walk and later scored on Lafreniere's double, giving the Badgers a 4-3 lead.
Watkins led off the Hornet seventh with a base hit to put the tying run on base. One out later, Blake Southworth (Bethel, VT) reached on an error, moving the tying run to third. However Corvino was able to strike out the next two batters as Johnson held on for the win.
Corvino picked up the win in the circle, allowing two earned runs and five hits while striking out 16 and walking three. Emily Anderson (Levittown, NY) went the distance and took the loss for Lyndon, allowing seven hits with seven strikeouts against two walks.
Game 2 - VTSU Lyndon 5, VTSU Johnson 0
McNamara's performance in the circle was the story of the nightcap. She kept Johnson at bay all game, scattering five hits over seven innings in earning the win. She also struck out five Badgers and walked two.
Lyndon gave McNamara all of the runs she would need in the top of the first inning. Watkins reached on an error to lead off the game, then a Southworth base hit and a walk to Knapp loaded the bases. Glencross walked to bring home Watkins, then Seairra Anderson lifted a sacrifice fly that scored Southworth to make it 2-0, Lyndon.
The Hornets added to their lead in the top of the fourth inning. McNamara walked leading off and Megan Richardson (Essex Junction, VT) followed with a base hit. Watkins then came through with an RBI single, scoring McNamara to make it 3-0.
The Hornets took advantage of a pair of Badger errors to tack on another run in the top of the sixth inning, then capitalized on another Johnson error and a passed ball to manufacture another run in the fifth, accounting for the final score.
Corvino again went the distance for Johnson, but this time took the loss, allowing three earned runs on eight hits with seven strikeouts and four walks.
Lyndon's next scheduled contests will be a home NAC doubleheader with the State University of New York at Cobleskill on Friday, April 25th. Please check LyndonHornets.com for information on reschedule dates and times for games recently postponed due to weather.
