Demi Hart

The College of Wooster softball team edged out Kenyon College 7-5 and 7-6 in a North Coast Athletic Conference doubleheader Sunday, and in doing so, the Fighting Scots improved their overall record to 21-11, which represents the winningest season in program history.

The most victories the Scots (21-11, 7-5 NCAC) had ever recorded in a prior season was 20, which they did three times, including most recently in 2010 when they went 20-20.

Both games between Wooster and Kenyon were closely-contested, and the opening tilt needed nine innings to determine a winner.  

The Scots' offense struck first in the second inning, as Gina Pirolozzi drew a bases loaded walk, and then Skye Patterson and Erica Villa both drove in runs to give Wooster a 3-0 lead. Kenyon (11-23, 3-9 NCAC) tacked on a run to cut its deficit to 3-1 after three, and then in the fifth, Chelsea Delaney smashed a three-run home run to left field to put Kenyon on top 4-3.

Later in the seventh inning, the Scots regained the league, as Patterson scored on an error, and Demi Hart smacked an RBI single up the middle to make it 5-4. Kenyon was able to plate the tying run in the bottom of the frame, though, pushing the contest to extra innings.

Lauren Swinehart tripled to start the eighth, but the Scots were unable to capitalize. Finally, in the ninth inning, Horton blasted a two-run double to left center, and then retired three Kenyon batters in a row in the circle to lead Wooster to a 7-5 victory.

Pirolozzi started the game, and fanned five batters over seven innings, before Horton pitched the final two innings, and eventually notched her tenth win of the season.

The second game was also a back-and-forth battle that saw the Scots in front 4-3 entering the seventh inning. Kenyon committed three of their seven errors in the frame, allowing Wooster to generate three runs and take a seemingly comfortable 7-3 advantage.

The Ladies began to chip away in the bottom of the inning, however, scoring three runs on four hits to make it a one-run game (7-6) with just one out. Horton clamped down, though, striking out the final two batters, and securing her second win of the afternoon.

Offensively, Hart paced Wooster on the day, going 5-for-9 at the plate with two RBI and a stolen bag. Swinehart was 4-for-9 with an RBI, stolen base, and two runs scored, while Villa crossed home plate four times, and Kasie Fagan swiped a bag as a pinch runner.

Wooster will host a Strike Out Cancer event Wednesday during its doubleheader with Ohio Wesleyan University. The action starts at 3:30 p.m.