Leesburg, Fla. – The Wheaton College softball team opened its 2019 season Saturday at The Spring Games in Florida by splitting a pair of games. The Thunder dropped their first game against Wheaton (Mass.) 4-0 before bouncing back to beat Houghton 3-2.
In the opening game, the Thunder notched three hits but struck out eight times and committed four errors, while the Lyons earned their four runs on eight hits with three strikeouts while committing no defensive errors.
Freshman pitcher Ashley Carter got the start in the circle for the Wheaton vs. Wheaton battle, and allowed just one run on one hit over the first three innings before the Lyons put together a strong fourth and fifth frames thanks to several hits and Thunder errors. In the seventh inning Morgan Ryan and Melissa Meiners drilled back-to-back deep line drives to center field. However, the Midwestern Wheaton team failed to mount a comeback and their eastern namesake closed out the win.
Kelly Thornton went 2-for-3 and Melody Rodriguez went 1-for-2 at the plate for the Thunder.
In the second game of the day, Thornton started in the circle for the Thunder and retired the first three Houghton College batters in order, thanks to a strikeout and two groundouts. Wheaton then got to work reversing their earlier offensive silence and put the bat on the ball in the bottom of the first. Jeanette Oh reached first on an error by the Highlanders' shortstop and then scored thanks to a Thornton single and another Houghton error.
After a leadoff walk and stolen base, Houghton tied the game in the top of the second, but Wheaton took the lead for good in the third with a three-hit rally. Freshmen Maddie Craver and Oh recorded their first collegiate hits with back-to-back singles, and both advanced an extra base due to a Houghton error. Thornton loaded the bases after being hit by a pitch before Craver earned her own first career hit with a two-RBI single, scoring Craver and Oh.
The Thunder would tally three more hits but remain scoreless through their final three innings; the Highlanders, however, added five more hits, scoring again in the fifth inning and threatening in the seventh with a runner on third and two outs, but Wheaton secured the win on a pop fly in foul territory to collect its first win of the season.
Thornton allowed two runs on five hits, with two strikeouts and three walks. The Thunder struck out just twice as a team in the second game and committed only one defensive error, while the Highlanders committed four errors.
Carter led Wheaton's offense, going 2-for-3 with two RBI, and Craver, Oh, Thornton, Ryan and Clark each collected a hit in the contest.
The Thunder return to the Florida fields on Monday afternoon. Wheaton will face fellow Lake Forest at 4:00 p.m. (EST) before taking on SUNY Potsdam at 6:15.
