Jefferes Swept By Alma Mater

Head coach Lori Jefferes and the second-year College of Wooster softball program may not have come away with a victory in its final spring break doubleheader against Bethany College - Jefferes alma mater - but it did come away with the respect that the new program is headed in the right direction.

Game one between the two squads in Orlando, Fla., was not decided until the second-to-last inning when Bethany plated a pair of unearned runs to take an insurmountable 5-0 lead in the sixth, while the nightcap went into extra innings before the Bisons secured a 9-4 win.

"It was odd to be coaching against my former coach," Jefferes said afterwards. "It was kind of surreal at times. (But) I think we surprised her and the other teams (down there) as well."

Wooster, now 1-6 on the young season after having played four of five opponents that won 25 or more games in 2000, stayed within striking distance of Bethany in the opener despite a strong pitching effort from Rachel Schafer.

Down 3-0 in the top of the fifth, the Scots missed out on a scoring opportunity when they had two runners on with one out. Other than that, Schafer single-handedly shut down Wooster's offense, allowing just one hit, which came off the bat of junior Kerri Horst, and striking out nine batters.

Sophomore Anika Lehman got the loss, going 1.1 innings and allowing three runs on four hits and a pair of walks.

Game two saw the Bisons strike first with a run in the top of the fourth, but the Scots took the lead with a pair in the bottom of that inning. Bethany retook the lead with two in the next frame, but Wooster answered again to tie it up with one in the sixth.

After a scoreless seventh inning, the Bisons exploded for six in the eighth, five of which were unearned, and eventually won 9-4 to seal their eighth victory in 10 tries this spring.

Freshmen Angie Barone and Kirsten Lucas each went 2-for-4. Lucas and sophomore Abby Petrullo both belted doubles, while freshman Lindsay Vargo had a two-RBI single.

On the mound, Barone pitched a complete game for the Scots and only allowed three earned runs on nine hits and seven walks, while striking out nine. Nicole Serene earned the win after giving up just two earned runs on nine hits and two walks in eight innings.

Wooster continues its non-conference slate on Tuesday (March 20) with another double-dip, this time against Grove City College.