LYNDON CENTER, Vt. - Johnson State and Lyndon State split a North Atlantic Conference (NAC) doubleheader on Thursday with the Badgers rallying for five runs in the seventh in game one to take a 10-7 decision. In game two Lyndon received a strong pitching performance to key a 2-0 win. Johnson now stands at 8-15-1, 2-3-1 NAC while Lyndon sits at 9-15, 1-5 NAC.
GAME 1: Johnson 10, Lyndon 7
Johnson, down 7-5 entering the top of the seventh, erupted for five runs to take the lead and hold off host Lyndon for a 10-7 game one win. Junior Tanya Randall (Fryeburg, Maine/Fryeburg Academy) (pictured) had the big hit in the frame connecting on a one-out, bases-clearing triple make the score 8-7. The Badgers would push across two more in the inning and then allowed just one-hit in the bottom of the inning to seal the victory.
Randall would finish 1-for-4 with two runs and three RBI while sophomore Emily Himberg (Williston, Vt./Champlain Valley) went 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Freshman Madeline Pritchard (North Clarendon, Vt./Mill River) had a key two-run, pinch-hit double in top of the sixth to set up the seventh inning heroics and senior Morgan Rogerson (Hardwick, Vt./Hazen) went 1-for-2 with a double, two walks, and three runs scored.
Junior Meagan Russ (Burlington, Vt./Burlington) picked up the pitching victory tossing the complete-game. Russ allowed 10 hits, seven earned runs, and five walks while striking out four.
Lyndon's Katie Davis was tagged with the loss surrending eight hits, eight earned runs, and four walks despite striking out ten batters. Hannah White went 2-for-4 at the plate with three RBI while Ashley Barski went 2-for-5 with two runs scored.
The Badgers struck for two runs in the second inning and another in the third to take a 3-0 lead before Lyndon responded with three runs in the bottom of the third to tie it.
Pritchard's sixth-inning double broke the tie giving Johnson a 5-3 lead but Lyndon came back with a big four-run bottom of the sixth to go up 7-5 before the big JSC seventh inning.
Game 2: Lyndon 2, Johnson 0
Game two featured a pitching duel to contrast the offensive explosion in game one as Lyndon's Meghan Gadapee scattered seven hits and did not allow a run and only one walk while striking out two to lead the Hornets to the split. Johnson freshman Kristy McDonnell (Quechee, Vt./Hartford) was the tough-luck loser pitching six strong innings, allowing just one earned run on four hits, walking four, and striking out one.
Johnson's Erica Pustari (North Haven, Conn./North Haven) had a 2-for-4 day as all of the Badgers seven hits for the game were singles.
Gadapee also helped her cause by going 1-for-2 at the plate with a run scored while Alise Vandal had the lone LSC RBI with a sacrifice fly as part of their two-run fourth inning.
With the game scoreless entering the bottom of the fourth inning Lyndon was able to get a walk from Hannah White followed by a single by Gadapee to set the table. A sacrifice bunt by Jillian Emery moved the runners to second and third. The following batter, Jenna Finnegan, reached on an error scoring White and moving Gadapee to third that then allowed Vandal to send a fly ball to leftfield deep enough to score Gadapee.
Johnson had their best opportunity to plate runs in the second inning when JSC loaded the bases with no outs but could not push a runner across. A fielder's choice force-out at home, followed by a strikeout and flyout ended the threat.
Johnson has a pair of NAC home doubleheaders this weekend with a 12 pm start against Maine Maritime Academy on Saturday and 12 pm Sunday set against Husson University. Lyndon will host the same teams on opposite days to set up their weekend schedule.