NAPLES, Fla. – After dropping an 8-5 decision to Suffolk University to start Sunday morning, Kenyon College (7-5) came back in game two against Salem State University and prevailed in extra innings by a slim 3-2 margin to avoid being swept. The Ladies came up with three consecutive outs after the bases were loaded to escape for their seventh victory of the early season.
 
GAME ONE
 
The normally-potent Kenyon offense got off to a slow start collecting just three hits through the first four innings. With the Rams' defense doing its part, Suffolk's offense got into gear early.
 
In the home half of the first, Morgan Parmeter connected with an RBI single through the left side plating the first run of the game.
 
An inning later, the Rams put a four-spot on the Ladies to extend their lead to 5-0. With the bases loaded, Sydney Littlefield and Meredith Ball had back-to-back RBI hits to push the score to 3-0. The four-running inning was capped off by an RBI groundout and a missed tag-out at home.
 
The Rams added a single run in the next two innings which pushed their lead to 7-0 before Kenyon finally got on the board in the fifth frame.
 
Kenyon's scoring efforts started as Madi Maldonado drove in Molly O'Connor with a sacrifice fly. Two batters later, freshman Amanda Ogata roped a double to right-center field clearing the bases. That brought the score to 7-4.
 
Still trailing in the seventh with the score 8-4 Rams, the Ladies threatened once more. Lindsey Susolik doubled to right center plating Maldonado. That cut the deficit to three. Kenyon placed the tying run at the plate in the next at-bat, but Suffolk reliever Taylor Holmes induced a groundout to end the game.
 
Ogata led Kenyon going 3-for-4 while Susolik and O'Connor each tallied two hits.
 
GAME TWO
 
A low-scoring affair against Salem State saw the Ladies escape in extra innings to salvage their day as they won 3-2.
 
The Vikings gained a 1-0 lead right from the get-go as leadoff batter Dahlia DeCologero sent a shot over the center field fence. In the second inning, DeCologero's single up the middle plated Shanna Zeramby to increase the advantage to 2-0.
 
But after the quick start, Kenyon pitcher Elizabeth Ovieda and her defense allowed just three Viking base-runners to get into scoring position until the eighth inning.
 
Down 2-0, Kenyon slowly came back starting in the third frame.  After a dropped fly ball in right field, Jane Ghublikian found herself on third and Susolik followed with a single up the middle plating Kenyon's first run.
 
The Ladies then tied the game in the sixth. O'Connor got a hold of the first pitch she saw and smacked it to center field bringing the score to 2-2. It was her first homer of the year.
 
In the eighth, as international tiebreaker rules came into effect, the Ladies found the go-ahead run courtesy of freshman Britny Patterson. With O'Connor placed on second, Mari Colucci singled through the left side and brought up Patterson. The first-year followed with a sacrifice fly to center allowing O'Connor to round home.
 
Down by one, Salem State was in prime position to win the game. After a fielder's choice to third base, the Vikings had the bases loaded with nobody out. But the Kenyon defense rose to the occasion.
 
Kenyon recorded the first out at home as Colucci corralled a grounder and threw to Nicole Horita for a force out. In the next at-bat, Ovieda struck out Chloe Manousos for the second out. Kenyon then closed the deal as a grounder came to Susolik who bobbled the ball but made the throw in time to Amanda Coyle at first to preserve victory.
 
Ovieda tossed her first complete game of the season scattering six hits while inducing 14 groundouts and eight flyouts. Susolik and Colucci led the offense with two hits each.
 
Next up for the Ladies are two games on March 15 against Curry College and University of Saint Joseph.