FORT MYERS, Fla. – Timely hitting and a fairly strong defensive effort helped Kenyon College (4-0) earn two victories against Grove City College and Drew University on Monday at CenturyLink Sports Complex. The Ladies defeated the Wolverines 5-3 before pulling away from the Rangers, 8-3.
 
GAME ONE
 
Nicole Bishay tossed a complete game and struck out a career-high eight batters in the opener. That was paired with another hot start by the Ladies' offense which helped them get ahead early.
 
In the first, Bishay drew a bases-loaded walk which plated Grace Finn who had led off with a single. Newcomer Nicole Archambeau then extended the lead in the next at-bat. Her groundout to Grove City's pitcher pushed Sara Campagna home and moved the scoreboard to 2-0.
 
The Wolverines had bases loaded in the next inning, but Paige Milhon turned a ground ball and Bishay got a strikeout to end the threat.
 
Following a scoreless third, Kenyon found the rest of its runs in the fourth. With two out, Clare McMahon roped a double to right center plating Bella Albrecht. Finn then got into the action with a run-scoring single. Later, Finn added the team's fifth run as Grove City got into a run-down between first and second.
 
Defensively, Bishay, at one point, retired nine straight batters and watched as her defense notched 12 combined groundouts and flyouts. The only mishap for Kenyon came in the fifth when a dropped pop-up resulted in two runs.
 
GAME TWO
 
The Ladies' defense bent a few times but never broke in an 8-3 win over Drew.
 
Once again, Kenyon got off to another fast start. In the first frame, Emily Pater hit a one-out double to left center for the team's first run. Two batters later, Bishay had an infield single that scored Emily Buckwalter.
 
Then in the second, the Ladies went up 4-1. With runners in scoring position, Finn singled up the middle and plated McMahon and Archambeau. Through four games this year, Kenyon has out-scored opponents 18-1 through two innings.
 
After docking on another run in the fourth, the Ladies were up 5-1. A frame later, a defensive miscue helped Drew creep back in it.
 
With runners in scoring position, a throwing error to first, followed by a delayed throw back home resulted in two Rangers scoring.
 
In the next inning, Drew had the tying runs on the base paths, but a pair of groundouts to Archambeau at short halted its comeback chances.
 
To cap off their efforts, the Ladies added three runs in the seventh. A two-run, two-out triple by McMahon made it 7-3. Finn followed with a run-scoring two-bagger for Kenyon's final tally.
 
Campagna, McMahon, Finn and Bishay all attained two hits while Pater (1-0) tossed a complete game and induced 18 combined groundouts and flyouts.
 
The Ladies have tomorrow off but will return on March 4 against Grove City and Finlandia starting at 9 a.m.