Backed by HRs, Shellenberger blanks Geneseo
Fredonia used the long ball and shutout pitching Sunday to earn a SUNYAC softball split with Geneseo at Blue Devil Field.
Sophomore right-hander Emily Shellenberger (Philadelphia, Pa.) pitched a five-hitter, inducing 16 ground ball outs, in a 5-0 Game 2 win. Freshman third baseman Mahogany Barker (North Tonawanda) fielded six ground outs flawlessly.
All the Fredonia runs were scored via home runs.
Katelyn Dennis (Webster) gave her team an insurmountable lead with a three-run homer in the last of the first inning. It was the third homer in two days -- and her sixth of the season -- for Dennis and followed a walk and an infield single by Lauren Pixley (Hamburg). Katie Yudin (Liverpool) added to the lead with a solo homer leading off the fifth. Mallory Mecca (Derby) made it 5-0 when she clanged a solo homer off the foul ple in left with out one in the sixth.
Geneseo rallied from a 6-2 deficit to win Game 1, 9-7, a see-saw affair which earlier saw Fredonia rally after trailing 2-0.
The Blue Devils did all their scoring in the fourth inning. Madison Cooley (Geneva, N.Y.) doubled to left-center and scored on a double to right-center by Dennis. Mecca ripped a double down the line in left to score Dennis. A hit-batter and a single by Sarah Cuillo (Blasdell) loaded the bases and a walk to Barker forced in a run. Khee Nance (Dunkirk) grounded out to bring in another run. Yudin capped the rally with a two-run single.
A three-run homer by Anna Merante capped Geneseo's seven-run sixth inning. Her two-run homer in the fourth opened the scoring. She finished 4 for 4 with five RBI. Alexis Kidder earned the win in relief while Yudin took the loss.
