TUCSON, Ariz. (March 12, 2017)  – Junior Olivia Gemma drove in nine runs over two games and senior Emily Sellitti plated five as the Stevens Institute of Technology softball team fell to Central (IA) College and defeated Augsburg College to split the first day of play at the Tucson Invitational Games Sunday.

"We came out ready to play today," head coach Erica Mehalick said. "We were able to jump on Central early, but, we just fell short and then everyone contributed to our game two victory."

Central 13 Stevens 12
In the opener, Stevens scored seven times in the third inning en route to building a 11-5 lead, but Central rallied for eight unanswered runs to earn the 13-12 victory.

Sellitti went 3-for-5 for the Ducks and Olivia Gemma went 4-for-5 with four RBI, but a baserunning miscue halted the Stevens third inning, setting the stage for Central to rally.

Karly Olson had three hits and Amanda Sigulas and Sadie Baugher drove in two runs each for Central (2-1). The loss dropped Stevens to 2-1.

With three runs already in in the Stevens third, junior Lauren Shirley was hit by a Annie DeVries (2-0) pitch with the bases loaded to force in Julia DeCandia, giving the Ducks an 8-5 lead. Gemma hit a blast to left field that barely cleared the wall, but with some question as to whether the ball was going to be either caught or over the fence, Gemma hustled out of the box and inadvertently passed Shirley on the base path, negating the grand slam. While three Ducks scored on the play, Gemma was called out on the play. Marissa Barnes grounded out to second to end the frame.

Central would chip away at the Stevens lead with two runs in the third and would take its second lead of the game with five runs in the fourth. The Dutch would add an insurance run in the fifth. 

Shirley would homer in the seventh to bring Stevens to within a run and Gemma followed with a single, but DeVries retired pinch-hitter Melissa Alfonso on a grounder to third to end the game.

Christina LaRochelle (1-1) allowed nine runs on 12 hits over six innings in relief of starter Marissa Cappello. 

Stevens 26 Augsburg 5 (5 inn.)
In game two, 12 different players had a hit and 13 different players scored at least one run as Stevens built a 16-0 lead in downing Augsburg, 26-5 in a game that was halted after five innings because of the run differential.

Gemma (2-0) allowed five runs on five hits in five innings of work to earn the victory as the Ducks improved to 3-1 on the season. Samantha Anderson (2-1) allowed nine runs on seven hits, while retiring just one batter for the Auggies.

Stevens jumped all over Anderson from the opening pitch. Three consecutive singles by Sellitti, Farryl Groder and Corinne Loncar loaded the bases for Shirley. Shirley reached on a fielder's choice for the only out the Augsburg starter recorded. Gemma hit a ground-rule double to center to score the first two runs. Alfonso walked to again load the bases and Katherine Tirabassi singled to center, scoring Shirley and Gemma. Gina Schnecker and Schattin drew back-to-back walks to force in another run and Sellitti doubled in her second at-bat of the inning to extend the lead to 7-0. Groder singled in another run, which finally ended Anderson's afternoon. 

The Ducks scored at least three runs in all five innings. Freshmen Madeline Leonard, Julia Servidio, and Schattin each  recorded their first collegiate hit and juniors Mary Catherine Ottelien and Cara Napolitano tallied their first career run batted in.

Up Next: A game with Greenville College and a rematch with Augsburg are on the Day Two schedule for the Ducks at the Tucson Invitational Games.

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