Thursday, April 12, 2012

GREENVILLE, Pa. - The Westminster College softball team were finally beaten on Thursday as they split with the Thiel Tomcats. The win streak was stopped at 11 as they won the first game 12-8 in eight innings and then dropped the second game 7-6.

Westminster sits at 15-11 on the season and is now 7-1 in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC). Thiel is now 9-15 overall and 4-4 in conference play.

In game one, The Lady Titans scored first as junior catcher Olet Stasko (McDonald, PA / West Allegheny) led off with a single and senior third baseman Erica Kimmick (Parma, OH / Cuyahoga Heights) doubled to right center to score her.

Westminster scored again in the fourth inning as freshman outfielder Carly Wallock (DuBois, PA / DuBois) singled in sophomore outfielder Katy Balko (New Stanton, PA / Hempfield). The Tomcats took the lead in their half of the fourth inning as they scored three runs.

Thiel scored four more runs in the sixth inning to take a 7-2 lead. Westminster was resilient yet again as the Lady Titans scored six runs in the top of the seventh.

Junior Layne Carpenter (Marietta, OH / Marietta) started the rally with a walk, and then with two outs the hitting picked up. Junior outfielder Brittany Gamble (Poland, OH / Poland Seminary) and sophomore second baseman Kelsey Squelch (Pittsburgh, PA / Perry Traditional) singled. Junior shortstop Katie Hughes (Boardman, OH / Cardinal Mooney) also singled to keep the inning alive.

The Tomcats responded in the bottom of the seventh and the game went to an extra frame. The Lady Titans poured on four more runs in the top of the eighth inning and that would prove to be enough.

Balko, Gamble, Kimmick, Stasko each had three hits apiece to lead the way. Junior Chelsea Brown (New Castle, PA / Mohawk) pitched the first seven innings and had five strikeouts. Freshman Carly Leffakis (Pittsburgh, PA / North Catholic) (2-1) got the win in relief, allowing no runs.

In the second game, the Tomcats got out to a 7-0 lead after two and a half innings. Westminster scored in the bottom of the third as Olet Stasko singled in Carly Leffakis. The Lady Titans tacked on a run in the fifth frame as Erica Kimmick earned a walk with the bases loaded to make it 7-2.

Westminster threatened by scoring two runs in the sixth and seventh innings but was not able to get the equalizer.

Olet Stasko had two hits in the second game to lead Westminster, giving her five on the day. Carly Wallock (3-4) took the loss on the mound, she pitched the first two innings. Carly Leffakis pitched the final five innings and had two strikeouts.

The Lady Titans will look to bounce back on Saturday at home for a doubleheader versus Chatham at 1:00pm.

About Westminster College...
Founded in 1852 and related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Westminster College ranks first in the nation as "Best College for Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math," according to Forbes.com. Westminster, a top-tier liberal arts college, ranks third in graduation rate performance, according to U.S. News Best Colleges guide. Westminster ranked 6th among liberal arts colleges in social mobility, according to the Washington Monthly College Guide, and is one of the most affordable national liberal arts colleges in Pennsylvania. Westminster is also honored as one of "The Best 376 Colleges" by The Princeton Review, and is named to the President's Honor Roll for excellence in service learning.

Nearly 1,600 undergraduate and graduate students benefit from individualized attention from dedicated faculty while choosing from 42 majors and nearly 100 organizations on the New Wilmington, Pa., campus. Visit www.westminster.edu/advantage to view "Advantage: Westminster" A Strategic Plan 2010-2020.