FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Kenyon College softball team finished off its spring break schedule in Florida on Wednesday the way it started things out 10 days ago – with a pair of lopsided wins.
The team’s powerful offense activated the run rule in five-inning victories over University of Maine-Presque Isle (14-5) and Alfred State University (11-0). Following Monday's twinbill sweep over Skidmore (11-3) and Wilmington (10-1), the sweep extends the Ladies' run-rule game count to seven victories on the season.
The team did hit a speed bump on Tuesday with a doubleheader loss to SUNY Oneonta, 3-2, and Central College, 9-0, but other than that, the trip was win-win-win, and their 13-1 start (and nine-game winning streak) prior to Tuesday's games represented the best start to a season in program history.
Scoring a combined total of 25 runs in just nine innings at the plate Wednesday on 23 hits, five walks, five hit batters and three stolen bases, the Ladies capped off the Florida trip with a 15-3 record, outscoring their opponents, 152-49.
At the top of the Kenyon lineup, Grace Finn scored three runs Wednesday, giving her 29 runs scored this season. That total currently leads all NCAA Division III players. At this point in her career, playing less than three full seasons, Finn stands just 16 runs away from breaking the Kenyon career record. Additionally, she had two triples Wednesday, improving her already-established Kenyon career record to 11 three-baggers.
The Ladies were the visiting team against Maine-Presque Isle and scored two runs in the first, fourth and fifth innings. In the second inning, the Ladies exploded for eight runs on six hits, two walks and two errors. Finn had a bases-loaded triple in the inning, while Sara Campagna, Natalya Delsante, Kassie Rimel and Maddie Friday all added run-scoring hits.
Delsante, Friday and Olivia Hurley all finished the first game with two hits. Finn ended up 3-for-4 with two runs scored and four RBI.
Emily Pater pitched three innings for Kenyon and got the win. Her only mistake was yielding a three-run home run to Jordan Hanse in the bottom of the third.
In Game Two against Alfred State, the Ladies’ big inning was the first one. Right out of the gate, they posted seven runs on four hits, two walks and two hit-by-pitches. Campagna and Delsante both had two RBI in the inning.
Run-scoring hits from Friday and Nicole Bishay led to three more runs for the Ladies in the second inning. An unearned insurance run was tacked on in the fourth inning, before the game ended by run-rule after the top of the fifth inning was completed.
Bishay pitched for Kenyon against Alfred State and gave up just one hit in five innings. She walked one and struck out four to bring her season record to 8-1.
The Ladies return to Gambier but won’t play again until a nonconference road doubleheader at Otterbein University on Friday, March 25.
