GAMBIER, Ohio – After struggling through a 12-2 defeat to Hiram College in game one of Monday's doubleheader, senior Maddy Stark and the Kenyon College Ladies softball team turned things around to salvage a split by defeating the Terriers, 7-0, in game two at the Kenyon Softball Complex.

Stark was steady with the bat through both games, as she went a combined 5-for-7 with three runs scored and an RBI. On the mound, however, consistency escaped her. In game one, Stark was beat around for a dozen runs on 15 hits. Five of those 12 runs were unearned and she did manage to strike out five. She flipped a switch in game two and chalked up the win after working seven innings, allowing just four hits, and striking out four. The shutout win was her fourth of the season.

Hiram (5-13, 2-2 NCAC) opened play with two runs in the first inning of game one. Meghan Garland ripped a single that scored both of those runs. Those tallies were both neutralized in the bottom of the inning when junior Lindsey Susolik ripped the first pitch she saw from Garland well over the left field fence for a two-run homer, her third long ball of the season.

That would be it for the Kenyon offense. Garland scattered seven hits and stayed out trouble to pick up the pitching win for the Terriers. She got more than enough run support as Hiram batters scored in every inning, including the fifth inning in which they posted six runs and eventually put the eight-run mercy rule into effect.

In game two, the Ladies came out with a vengeance. Madi Maldonado drew a walk to start the contest. Stark singled and Jane Ghublikian doubled to bring Maldonado home. Hiram starting pitcher Brittany Zajac then issued a couple of free passes to push one more run across the plate. Kenyon freshman Nicole Horita finished off the first-inning scoring with an RBI groundout that gave the Ladies a 3-0 lead.

In the third inning, Chelsea Delaney and Toni Miller came up with RBI hits and chased Zajac from the circle, where she was replaced by Garland. That suited Susolik just fine and she greeted Garland with an RBI double in the fourth. On the day, Susolik was 4-for-6 with two extra-base hits, a run scored, and three RBI.

Kenyon (21-7, 2-4 NCAC) manufactured its final run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Hayley Howard led off with a walk and moved to second on a groundout from Maldonado. She then came around to score on a single struck by Stark. Howard, as well as Miller, had two hits in the doubleheader.

The Ladies play at home again Wednesday when they host an NCAC doubleheader against the Wittenberg University Tigers. One win in that two-game set ties the Ladies' program record for wins in a season (22).