Saturday, April 18, 2009

BETHANY, W.Va. - As two of the four teams tied atop the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) standings, the Westminster College and Bethany College softball teams split a doubleheader at Bethany on Saturday. Westminster won the first game, 9-6, before Bethany took game two, 7-2.

Westminster is now 13-16-1 overall and 7-3 in the PAC and Bethany is 17-13 overall and 7-3 in the league.

The Titans posted three-run innings in the first, fifth and seventh innings of the first game to take a 9-3 lead. Bethany closed the deficit to three runs in the bottom of the seventh before the Titans escaped with the win.

Junior designated hitter Sarah Woodward (Beaver, Pa./Beaver) led the Titans by going 3-for-3 with four RBI, including a two-run double in the first inning. Sophomores Ashley Beltz (Ellwood City, Pa./Laurel) and Lis Schulz (Gibsonia, Pa./Hampton) each hit run-scoring doubles in the first and fifth innings, respectively. Schulz also went 2-for-4.

Other notable hits included junior Kelly Fee (New Castle, Pa./Neshannock) hitting a two-run single in the seventh inning for her only hit of the game.

Sophomore starting pitcher Amber Crompton (Finleyville, Pa./Ringgold) pitched a complete-game seven innings with six runs (4 earned) off nine hits and no walks while striking out three.

Ashley Marinacci and Chelsea Butler led the Bison with three hits apiece.

In the second game, Bethany outhit Westminster, 10-5, and led 1-0 in the second inning, 4-0 in the fifth, and 7-0 in the sixth, before the Titans tacked on two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Schulz led the Titans with two hits. Summer Terrell and Brittany Leslie paced the Bison offense with three hits apiece.

Schulz absorbed the loss by pitching five innings with six runs (5 earned) off seven hits and one walk to go with a pair of strikeouts. Cortney Newland pitched a complete-game five-hitter with two walks and two strikeouts to get the win for Bethany.

Westminster travels to Thomas More on Tuesday at 1 p.m.

About Westminster College...
Founded in 1852 and related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Westminster College is ranked 15th among liberal arts colleges, according to the Washington Monthly 2007 Annual College Guide. Westminster is a national leader in graduation rate performance, according to U.S. News Guide to America's Best Colleges, and is one of the most affordable national liberal arts colleges in Pennsylvania. Westminster is also honored as one of "The Best 368 Colleges" and "Best in the Northeast" by The Princeton Review, and was recognized by the Templeton Guide as a "Character Building College."

Nearly 1,600 undergraduate and graduate students benefit from individualized attention from dedicated faculty while choosing from 41 majors and nearly 100 organizations on the New Wilmington, Pa., campus.