From the outset, Blue Streaks head coach
Nicole Loudin wanted to see her John Carroll softball team aggressive in every phase of the game -- On the mound, at the plate, in the field, and on the base paths.
That game plan worked to perfection on day one of the 2017 season, as the Blue Streaks swept a pair of opponents at Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex in Leesburg, Florida.
In the opener, JCU knocked off 2017 Presidents' Athletic Conference preseason favorite Saint Vincent, 11-7. In the second game, solid pitching carried the Blue Streaks over Alfred, 4-0.
John Carroll did not trail at any point of any game Sunday, although both games had their tight moments.
Against the Saint Vincent Bearcats, who were an NCAA Tournament team a year ago, the Blue Streaks opened up a 4-0 lead.
Angie Zappitelli had the big blow in the first inning with a double that plated two runs, and was followed in the second inning by
Hannah Mizener's two run homer over the left field fence.
But the Bearcats would rally, using some JCU defensive miscues and timely hitting to tie the score at 4-4 in the bottom of the third.
That score remained deadlocked until the top of the sixth, when
Lauren Cianciolo and
Carly Simecek each came through with RBI hits to push the advantage to 6-4.
In the top of the seventh, John Carroll would tally five runs to put the game out of reach.
Jennie Broski went 3-3 with two runs while the top three in the order (Mizener, Cianciolo and Simecek) were a combined 6-13 with five runs and six EBI.
In the second game, the Blue Streaks manufactured runs in support of a brilliant pitching effort by starter
Brianna Lach and reliever
Kelly Geringer. The duo allowed just four hits while walking only three to help the Blue Streaks win by a 4-0 score.
The first run of the game was small ball personified, as
Elizabeth Fraas drew a walk to lead off the bottom of the second.
Kayla Navratil came in to pinch run, and promptly stole a base. Zappitelli sacrificed her to third, and then Navratil scored on a wild pitch to give the Blue Streaks a 1-0 lead.
John Carroll scored two runs in the fourth, again set up by assertive base running. With runners on first and third, pinch runner
Mikki Vance stole second, and when the throw was errant, Fraas was able to come home from third.
Quinn Sobieszczanski then delivered the first RBI of the game with a single up the middle to score Vance.
Cianciolo tagged on the final run when she led off the fifth inning with a triple and then scored one batter later on a ground out.
Lach went the first four innings and allowed just one hit, while Geringer went the final three for the save.
Kelly Geringer pitched to her sister,
Nikki Geringer, who came into the game in the fifth inning to catch. The first out they recorded as a collegiate battery was a spectacular catch on a pop foul by Nikki.
John Carroll is 2-0 to start the season for the first time since 2014.
