CLERMONT, Fla. — The Lawrence University softball team rallied for a thrilling 7-6 nonconference victory over SUNY-Geneseo on Monday at the National Training Center.
The Vikings (3-3) were down 5-0 after two innings but struck for four runs in the third and three more in the sixth. Geneseo (2-4) scored once in the first and got four more in the second against Lawrence starter Jessica Demski.
Demski got Lawrence back in the game in the top of the third when she belted a bases-loaded, three-run double. The Vikings scored four times in the inning and trimmed the lead to 5-4.
Geneseo added another run on a solo homer in the fifth against reliever Shannon Murray to go up 6-4.
The Vikings then rallied in the top half of the sixth. Tierney Duffy led off the inning with a single and Savanna Marsicek followed with a walk. Cathy Kaye then beat out a bunt for a base hit to load the bases.
Anna Wawiorka then singled to score Duffy to cut the lead to 6-5. Murray drew a bases-loaded walk to score Marsicek and the game was tied 6-6. After a strikeout, Mary Diduch hit a chopper over the mound. The shortstop threw out Diduch, but Kaye scored on the play to give Lawrence a 7-6 lead.
After Murray retired the side in order in the sixth, the Knights mounted a rally in the bottom of the seventh. Geneseo loaded the bases on a one-out single and a pair of walks. Murray then got a pop up for the second out and struck out Lexi Williams swinging to end the game.
Murray pitched the final three innings to get the win. She allowed two hits, struck out two and walked two.
Kaye paced Lawrence by going 2-for-4 with a double, and Duffy went 2-for-3. Alex Chiodo had a double and drove in a run for the Vikings.
Lawrence returns to action on Tuesday when it faces Oswego State and Macalester College.