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John Carroll University Athletics

home of the Blue Streaks
Jess Lichota in FLA
The Blue Streaks come home with plenty of positives after the Florida trip. 
6
Winner John Carroll JCU 7-2
1
Grove City GRO 3-6
Winner
John Carroll JCU
7-2
6
Final
1
Grove City GRO
3-6
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
John Carroll JCU 0 0 0 2 1 0 3 6 11 0
Grove City GRO 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 7 4

W: Graves, Emily (1-2) L: Kaitlyn Constantino (2-3)

5
Winner WestConn WCSUSB 3-1
4
John Carroll JCU 7-3
Winner
WestConn WCSUSB
3-1
5
Final
4
John Carroll JCU
7-3
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
WestConn WCSUSB 0 1 0 3 1 0 0 5 8 1
John Carroll JCU 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 7 1

W: Hailey Golembiewski (2-1) L: Orendi, Danielle (3-1) S: Sarah Milyko (1)

Game Recap: Softball | | Joe Ginley '16, SID

Softball Splits on Last Florida Gameday; Brings Back 7-3 Record, Best Mark Since 2015

NAPLES, Fla. -- Each year, John Carroll Softball journeys south to Florida in each March to open the season.

The goals are to adjust back to playing on dirt after practicing on hardwood, and to enjoy some success. The Blue Streaks achieved these goals and more during the annual Florida trip.

John Carroll will head back to University Heights with a 7-3 record after splitting the final day with a 6-1 win over Grove City and a 5-4 loss to Western Connecticut State. The 7-3 mark is the team's best start to a season since the 2015 campaign when JCU carried home an 8-2 record.

"It was a great week of softball for us. We competed, made adjustments and our energy never wavered," said first-year Head Coach Alex Lagesse. "A lot of individuals stepped up this week and to help us win games through embracing their opportunities. Our pitchers and catchers looked sharp and got us out of some tough jams."

Game 1
Each team threatened in the early frames. Grove City and John Carroll (courtesy of Jess Lichota) each tallied early doubles in the bottom of the first and the top of the second, respectively. But neither team could drive home an early run for the lead. In the circle for JCU, Emily Graves got her first collegiate start and kept Grove City off the board in the first two innings. 

Both teams went in order in the third inning, as the pitching continued to cruise. That is, until the Blue Streaks came alive in the fourth. Kaylyn Odelli got on board with a single up the middle and quickly stole second. Mackenzie Stease did a job with a groundout to advance Odelli, and a high throw by the Wolverine first baseman to third allowed Odelli to score. 

But the Blue Streaks weren't done, as Lichota singled to third. Serena Paterno smacked a single to center to advance Lichota, and a misplay by the Grove City centerfielder allowed Lichota to charge home. Just like that, the Blue Streaks had a 2-0 lead for Graves to work with. 

Grove City appeared poised to respond in the bottom of the frame, loading the bases with a walk, single, and fielder's choice with one out.  But Graves bore down, getting the second out on an infield fly and then placing a perfect pitch on the outside corner for a looking strikeout, preserving the shutout entering the fifth. 

The Blue Streaks had more fun in the fifth. Gracie Bressoud hit a wonderful bunt single to third and advanced to third on an error that put Bella Carcioppolo aboard. Odelli then sent a deep flyball to left, a perfectly placed shot for a sacrifice fly to score Bressoud. That gave Graves another run to work with. 

Graves did allow a hard-hit infield single, but quickly got a strikeout. With 2 outs, Head Coach Alex Lagesse went to the bullpen for Brianna Callow. The sophomore garnered a flyout to Bressoud to head to the sixth unscathed. 

Paterno hustled out an infield single to start the sixth. She'd get to second on a nice Alyssia Carmichael sac bunt, but would go no further. Grove City also opened its end of the sixth with a single. Callow kept the Wolverines at bay, though, with two flyouts and a punchout.

The Blue Streaks provided more insurance runs in the seventh. Bressoud reached on an error and scored after back-to-back singles by Tora Walters and Odelli. Stease flew out to right to advance Walters and Odelli, who both crossed the plate on a key 2-out Paterno single. Kasyn Scarantine then got aboard with an infield single, but the Wolverines got out of it, now with the Blue Streaks ahead by six. 

Casey Cash then entered the game for her first collegiate appearance in the seventh inning. The Valley City, Ohio native started off her debut well with a groundout and strikeout. But the Wolverines strung together a couple hits to break the shutout. Cash ensured no crazy comebacks would occur, however, with a quick groundout to second ending the game. 

The John Carroll pitchers did a strong job with just 7 hits allowed in 7 innings. Meanwhile, the Blue Streak bats made nice music, with 11 hits in total. Serena Paterno (3-for-4, 2 RBI) and Kaylyn Odelli (2-for-3, 2 RBI) did the most damage at the dish. 

Game 2
John Carroll fired out of the gates in the final game of the Florida trip. 

Danielle Orendi fired up a quick 1-2-3 inning in the circle, and the Blue Streaks' bats did great work, too. Gracie Bressoud started the fun with a single up the middle. Kaylyn Odelli singled and Serena Paterno drew a hit by pitch to load the bases. Melissa Smith ripped a clutch bases-clearing triple to the gap in right center. Smith soon scored on a sacrifice fly by Gabby Hougan, pushing JCU ahead, 4-0. Unfortunately, that would be it for JCU's scoring. 

A couple smart singles put WestConn in position to get on the board, as a sacrifice bunt scored the Wolves' first run of the game. Orendi prevented anything further, keeping the margin at 4-1.

But the Wolves fired up a big inning in the fourth, scoring three runs, leading Lagesse to turn to Brianna Callow. The sophomore allowed a double but nothing further, so the game stood tied. 

The Blue Streaks responded by loading the bases in the bottom of the frame, but the Wolves managed to escape with an inning-ending strikeout to keep things square entering the fifth. WestConn eked across a run in the top of the frame, with some small ball doing the trick to take a 5-4 lead. The Blue Streaks threatened in both the fifth and the sixth innings, but the Blue Streaks stranded a runner in each stanza. 

Callow continued to keep it a 1-run ballgame, but the Blue Streaks could not get the final rally to tie or win the game, despite their best efforts. John Carroll loaded the bases with two outs, but the Wolves got the final out to ensure their victory. 

Here are a few stats to consider as the Blue Streaks get ready to come home to a colder climate: The John Carroll bats finished up Florida with over 6 runs per game (first in the conference), plus a .335 batting average. In the circle, JCU's pitchers sport a 2.84 ERA with 69 strikeouts in 64 innings, allowing a .241 opponent batting average. JCU is also the conference leader in K's. The Blue Streaks are tied with Muskingum and Mount Union atop the Ohio Athletic Conference with 7-3 marks. 

The season is still young, but so far, so good for JCU Softball. 

The Blue Streaks' next schedules games are Tuesday at Oberlin, but Mother Nature likely has other plans. Further updates to come. 
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