Bay Path Opens season with a doubleheader sweep of NVU-Lyndon State in NCAA softball action

Bay Path University opens 2020 Softball season with Doubleheader Sweep

Queensbury, NY - The Northern Vermont University-Lyndon softball team opened the 2020 season on Wednesday afternoon, hosting Bay Path University at the Adirondack Sports Complex Dome in Queesnsbury, NY.  The Wildcats prevailed over the Hornets in both games of the doubleheader, taking game one, 10-2, and game two, 12-4.  The games were also the openers for Bay Path.

Game 1 - Bay Path 10, NVU-Lyndon 2

After Hornet starting Pitcher Rachel Valentine (Clarksdale, AZ) retired the Wildcats in order in the top of the first inning, the Hornets got on the board in their half.  Cecilia Chamul (Concord, VT) blasted a one-out triple to the fence in right and came in to score when Gracie Ducker (Lyndonville, VT) reached on an error.

Bay Path tied things in the top of the second.  Samantha Lisi singled to lead off the inning and advanced to second when the ball was misplayed.  She then moved to third on a wild pitch and scored when Chamul caught Lilly West's foul pop but her momentum took her into dead ball territory.

The Wildcats took command in the top of the third.  With runners at the corners and one out, West beat out an infield hit to drive in one run and Noelle Bisignano followed with a base hit to right, scoring another.  After Hornet catcher Cassie Black (Tolland, CT) threw out Bisignano trying to steal, Lyndon could have been out of the inning but Meghan Connors reached on an error, scoring an unearned run.  Five straight walks led to three more unearned runs before the Hornets got out of the inning, and Bay Path suddenly had a 7-1 lead.

The Hornets got a run back in the bottom of the fourth when Raeven Beaudry (Sheldon, VT) reached on an error, stole second and third, and scored on a wild pitch.

Bay Path broke it open with three more unearned runs in the top of the fifth inning.  Kayla Vance's two-run double was the big blow, and the Wildcats capitalized on three Hornet errors in the inning.  Vance, the Bay Path pitcher, then set the Hornets down in order in the bottom of the fifth to close out the game.

Vance went the distance to earn the win.  She allowed only Chamul's triple and a bunt single to Valentine while striking out six.  Valentine took the loss, allowing seven runs, three earned, over three innings. Ducker allowed three unearned runs in relief.

Game 2 - Bay Path 12, NVU-Lyndon 4

The nightcap was closely contested through the first four innings.  Bay Path struck first in the top of the first inning when Elizabeth Gross reached on an error and came in to score when Vance grounded out.  The Hornets answered in the bottom half when Chamul got aboard with a one-out base hit, stole second, and scored on Ducker's single to right.

Bay Path regained the lead in the top of the second inning when they capitalized on two Hornet errors to push across a run without a hit.  The Hornets responded with two runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 3-2 lead.  Beaudry reached leading off when she beat out the throw on a third strike wild pitch.  Jordan Ball (Sutton, VT) then beat out an infield hit.  Beaudry came in to score on a wild pitch, then Ball scored when Marin Fowler (Plainfield, VT) grounded out.

The Wildcats recaptured the lead in the top of the third inning.  Bay Path loaded the bases with one out, then Samantha Lisi was able to beat out the throw to the place on Connors' infield grounder.  Taylor Feraco grounded out to drive in another run, then Bay Path tacked on two more unearned runs following a Hornet error to take a 6-3 lead.

The Hornets cut the margin to two in the bottom of the third.  Black singled to right with one out.  She then stole second and scored on Maddie DeGroot's (Canton, ME) single back up the middle.

After both teams failed to score in the fourth inning, Bay Path put the game away with six runs in the top of the fifth.  The big blow was a double from Vance with two runners on.  Bay Path also benefitted from three errors in the inning.  Lyndon then went down in order in the bottom half of the fifth to end the game.

Gross picked up the win for Bay Path, giving up four runs, over five innings.  She allowed five hits and struck out to batters.  Ducker started for the Hornets and took the loss.  She allowed six earned runs before giving way to Valentine, who got the final two outs in the fifth inning.

The Hornets return to action on Thursday when they host SUNY Delhi in another doubleheader at the Adirondack Sports Complex.  First pitch is scheduled for noon.

Story credited to the NVU-Lyndon Sports Information