FORT MYERS, Fla. – A close loss to Wilmington College propelled the Kenyon Ladies (11-3) softball team to a big victory against University of Saint Joseph on Tuesday morning at CenturyLink Sports Complex. Kenyon fell 3-1 to the Quakers and then came back to down the Blue Jays 11-3.
 
GAME ONE
 
Wilmington freshman pitcher Alexis Stringfellow had a debut to remember. In 6.2 innings pitched, she limited the Ladies to season-lows in hits (3) and runs. Amazingly, she did not strike out any batters, but did induce 13 fly balls and six groundouts.
 
The Mount Vernon, Ohio native also retired the Kenyon side in four of seven frames.
 
In the first, Wilmington had bases loaded with two out and KenDahl Bowles singled up the middle to score Megan Crager. The Quakers added their second run after an error from the Ladies pushed Allison Pierce across home plate.
 
Kenyon came back to get its first run an inning later off the bat of Bella Albrecht. With two gone in the frame, the freshman doubled down the right field line and scored Grace Pilz.
 
After that, however, the Ladies were able to get just one more base runner into scoring position.
 
Wilmington added its third run in the fourth inning. With the bases loaded and two out again, Jillia Cook's grounder was mishandled allowing another run to score.
 
That 3-1 advantage would hold for the Quakers as the Ladies were not able to get the tying runs down the stretch. Kenyon did have two on in the seventh, but a pop out ended the game.
 
GAME TWO
 
Emily Pater was more than good in the circle and the Ladies bats came back to usual form to the tune of 12 hits and 11 runs. In addition, Kenyon registered eight stolen bases, setting a new single-game record that was previously set last season when the team tallied seven against Rivier University.
 
The Lades had a 2-1 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth before the Blue Jays got in front.
 
A two-run throwing error by Kenyon's defense allowed Brielle Bergeron and McKenna Driscoll to score, pushing the Blue Jays in front 3-2.
 
Despite relinquishing the lead for just the second time this season, the Ladies regrouped to score four times in the fifth inning.
 
Lauren Graf tied the game with an RBI single and in the next at-bat, catcher Olivia Hurley hit a bases-clearing triple down the left-field line. That hit scored, Graf, Nicole Bishay and Kathryn Riggs.
 
That sparked Kenyon's defense, as well, in the final three frames. Pater retired the side in two of those before freshman Madde Hyland closed things out in the seventh.
 
Offensively, the Ladies added five more runs in the final pair of innings. Highlighting those efforts included a Riggs RBI sacrifice bunt, a Sara Campagna run-scoring single and a Bishay two-run single.
 
For Pater, who improved to 5-0 this season, she tossed six innings, scattered four hits, allowed just one earned run and fanned a season-high five batters.
 
Tomorrow, Kenyon will close its spring break trip with games against Rockford University and New Jersey City University starting at 9 a.m.