GAME STATS 1 | GAME STATS 2 Winter Haven, Fla. — The Wheaton College softball team earned its first two wins of the season this afternoon as it continued play at The Spring Games in Florida. In their first match-up of the day, the Thunder came to life at the plate, topping Rivier University 12-0 in five innings. Wheaton then carried that momentum into the second game of the afternoon, winning 9-0 over the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg.

The opening contest against Rivier University saw the Thunder score four runs in the bottom of the first frame and never look back en route to a 12-0 victory over the Raiders. Olivia Nahorniak started the offensive party with a double deep down the left field line. Paige Andrews followed up with a single up the middle, and an error from the centerfielder allowed Nahorniak to score. Copying Nahorniak, Alese Antonello also doubled into left field, scoring Andrews from second base. Antonello advanced to third during Elizabeth Meyer's at-bat thanks to an error by the Raiders' third baseman, Meyer subsequently stole second, and Madison Forberg laid down a sacrifice bunt to score Antonello and move Meyer to third. Kyle Chetakian added her own base hit to left field to score Meyer and wrap up the Thunder's first inning with a 4-0 lead.

In the bottom of the third inning, Wheaton plated another seven runs to extend their lead. Antonello led off the inning by reaching first on a dropped pop-up by Rivier's pitcher, and scored on the next play as Meyer hit a grounder toward third base but reached safely due to a Raider throwing error. Forberg singled next, scoring Meyer from third, and after a Chetakian single and an Elise O'Neil walk, Wheaton had the bases loaded with no outs. After a pitching change, Forberg scored and the other runners advanced on a wild pitch, and then Isabelle Hillyer walked to load the bases once again. Nahorniak singled in her next at-bat to score Chetakian, followed by an Andrews two-RBI double, and finally a single from Antonello to score Nahorniak from third.

Wheaton tacked on one final run in the bottom of the fourth inning, after Abby Coulter singled, Chetakian drew a walk and Izibelle Vavra dropped an RBI single into right field. A quick one-two-three inning in the top of the fifth gave Wheaton the five-inning victory.

Eight different Thunder players recorded at least one hit, led by Antonello (two hits, two runs, two RBI), Nahorniak and Chetakian (each with two hits, two runs, one RBI), and Andrews (two hits, one run, three RBI). As a team, Wheaton earned its 12 runs on 12 hits with 11 RBI, three walks, just two strikeouts, and four runners left on base.

The Thunder pitching staff held Rivier to minimal offensive damage throughout the contest. Antonello got the start in the circle and threw four innings, allowing just two hits with no walks and three strikeouts. Tiegan Hoffman tossed the final inning, earning one strikeout with no hits or walks.

Wheaton's second game of the day took place on the same field, and the Thunder seemed to just carry on the hit parade from the previous contest.

Against Pitt.-Greensburg, Wheaton's offense not only recorded nine runs on 15 hits, but the Thunder saw each inning's lead-off batter reach base safely. Chetakian helped put Wheaton on the board by leading off the second inning with a single. She advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Abigail Latka, and then to third on a grounder from Madison Forberg. After an O'Neil walk, Abie Brown followed up with a single to right field to score Chetakian and give Wheaton the 1-0 lead after two innings.

Wheaton plated another run in the fourth inning in similar fashion and with similar personnel: Latka walked, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Forberg, and then scored on a single from Brown.

The fifth inning saw the Thunder take full control of the game, adding four runs with several base hits and some aggressive baserunning. Nahorniak led off the inning with a single to left field, followed by an Andrews double to center field. Two outs later, and with Andrews and Nahorniak still on first and second, it looked like the Thunder might leave a few runners stranded. However, Latka used a single to score both runners, Forberg singled to advance Latka to third base, O'Neil launched an RBI double, and Brown followed with an RBI single.

In the sixth inning, despite facing a new Pitt. pitcher, Wheaton plated another run as Meyer walked, advanced to second on a single from Andrews, and scored thanks to an Antonello single. Two more runs scored in the top of the seventh, again in a flurry of hits and aggressive baserunning. After a pair of singles and a walk gave Wheaton runners on first and second, Nahorniak hit an infield grounder but reached safely on an error by the Bobcats that allowed both O'Neil and Meyer to score the game's final runs. Although Pitt.-Greensburg threatened in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases with two outs, the Thunder managed to get out of the inning and maintain the shutout win.

As a team, Wheaton scored nine runs on 15 hits with 8 RBIand had no defensive errors. Nine different Thunder players recorded a hit in the contest, led by Brown with three (plus three RBI). Meyer, Nahorniak, Andrews, and Forberg each added two hits a piece.

Paige Andrews got the win in the circle, tossing six scoreless innings and allowing just four hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Antonello entered in the seventh to close out the Wheaton victory, notching two strikeouts with just one walk.

The Thunder will enjoy a mid-week day off in central Florida before returning to the Diamondplex in Winter Haven on Thursday for games against Saint Vincent College and Penn St.-Brandywine.