The Lady Bearcats swept visiting Grove City on Senior Day at Bearcat Field, thanks to a pair of stellar pitching performances from two fourth-year Lady Bearcats. 

In the opener, senior Mollie Stock earned the complete game victory as the Lady Bearcats came back from an early deficit to earn the 4-2 win.  In the nightcap, Stock's classmate, Ashley Whipkey, turned in another complete game effort in the circle and allowed just two baserunners over the first six innings, as SVC never trailed in a 4-1 victory.

In the day's first game, the Lady Bearcats jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first.  Leanna Seminsky reached second on an error to lead off the frame, moved to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a Rachel Komarinski RBI ground out.

The visiting Wolverinegs took the lead in the top of the second, scoring a pair of runs, but the Lady Bearcats answered right back in the home half of the third.

Jenna Bealko began the frame with a basehit up the middle, and scored two batters later on a Maura Wahl double to the fence in right center.  Wahl then stole third, and gave SVC the 3-2 lead after Komarinski reached base on an error.

SVC scored its final run of the game in the bottom of the fifth, after Seminsky, who tripled to right field, was plated by a Wahl single.

Stock kept the Wolverines at bay for the final four frames, and received big boost from the Lady Bearcat defense in the top of the seventh.   

With runners on first and second, Grove City's Brittany Young laced a double to center field.  Seminsky threw a perfect strike to shortsop Emily Petrowsky for the cut, who gunned down the Wolverine's lead runner at the plate.  Lady Bearcat catcher Angela Doyle then fired a strike to third base to retire Grove City's second runner in a run down and complete the unconventional 8-6-2-5 double play, snuffing out the Grove City comeback attempt.

A pair of SVC seniors led the Lady Bearcats at the plate in the opener, as Wahl went 2-3 with two RBIs and a stolen base and Whipkey 3-3.  Stock worked all seven innings and scattered 10 hits for the victory.

The nightcap began as a pitcher's duel between Whipkey and Grove City's Lauren Pennell, with Whipkey retiring 12 of the first 14 batters she faced over the first four frames, and Pennell stranding SVC runners in scoring position in each of the first three innings. 

SVC finally cracked the scoreboard in the top of the fourth.  Doyle led off the inning with a double down the left field line, and two batters later, another SVC senior came through in a big way, as Jostalyn Klosky homered to left-center to give SVC the 2-0 lead.

Another Wahl double drove in Seminsky in the fifth to give the Lady Bearcats a three-run lead, before SVC scored its final run in the sixth.  Jenna Bealko reached on an error to lead off,  and two batters later, Wahl stroked an RBI single to center.

Grove City attempted to mount another late rally in the seventh, scoring one run after stringing together three singles, but Whipkey shut down the threat by inducing a ground out and pop up to end the game and give the hosts the sweep.

SVC managed nine hits in the nightcap, with Seminsky, Wahl, and Ballantyne notching two apiece.  

Whipkey improved to 7-2 in the circle with her seventh complete-game victory of the season, as she allowed one run on four hits while striking out five and issuing just one walk.

The Lady Bearcats now improve to 11-17 on the season, and will return to action on Tuesday, hosting Chatham University at 3pm.  

PHOTO:  SVC catcher Angela Doyle completes an unconventional double play in the seventh inning of SVC's opener against Grove City