Cornell powers past Pioneers in home opener

MOUNT VERNON - Back in action for the first time in 20 days, Cornell College's softball team made up for lost time in a hurry with a dominating 15-1, 16-1 sweep over Grinnell in the Rams' home opener Saturday at Mount Vernon Softball Complex.

The Rams piled up 31 runs and 26 hits in the two five-innings games cut short due to the mercy rule. Cornell improved to 5-1 on the season, having outscored its opponents by a whopping 60-14 margin.

Cornell's Carly Goolsby picked up where she left off from an impressive Florida trip Feb. 25-27. The senior catcher/designated player went 6-for-6 at the plate in Saturday's games with four runs, a double and four RBIs. Goolsby, who raised her season batting average to .762, was among seven Rams to tally at least one extra-base hit in the twin bill.

Senior Simone Wright went 2-for-2 with four RBIs and three runs scored in Game 1. She delivered a two-run double in the first inning and blasted an opposite-field two-run homer in the second, the 18th round-tripper of her career.

Goolsby and Chrissy Rasor both went 3-for-3 in the opening game. Goolsby drove in two runs and scored twice. Rasor scored two runs and had a double. Freshman Rebekah Ozga and Sam Tonelli added two RBIs apiece for the Rams, who scored eight runs in the third frame.

Junior Jill Trzaska and freshman Jackie Sernek combined to throw a one-hitter. Trzaska (2-0) earned the win, striking out eight batters over four innings. Sernek struck out the side in the fifth.

Cornell took control in Game 2 with a 12-run fourth inning in which the Rams pounded out nine hits and sent 16 batters to the plate. Senior Nicole Duncan had four RBIs in the inning, including a three-run double. Brooke Griffin and Sernek each doubled home a pair of runs.

Duncan finished the second game 3-for-4 with two runs. Goolsby had three hits, two RBIs and two runs. Ozga went 2-for-2 with four runs and a stolen base. Tonelli chipped in two hits.

Freshman Amanda Engel improved to 2-0 on the mound. She allowed one run and two hits while striking out seven over four innings. Laura Iversen worked a scoreless fifth in relief.

Make-up date - Cornell's scheduled home doubleheader with Monmouth Sunday, March 20, was postponed due to wet grounds. The nonconference games will be made up Thursday, April 21, with first pitch at 4 p.m. in Mount Vernon.

Coming up - The Rams head to Clermont, Fla., later this week to compete in the NTC Spring Games. Cornell is scheduled to play 10 games during the Spring Break trip.

Cornell opens play Saturday, March 26 with single games against Williams (9:30 a.m.) and UW-Superior (11:30 a.m.). The Rams meet Buffalo State (9:30 a.m.) and Middlebury (1:30 p.m.) March 27, Oberlin (9:30 a.m.) and Buffalo State (11:30 a.m.) March 28, Middlebury (9:30 a.m.) and Franklin (1:30 p.m.) March 30, and Franklin (9:30 a.m.) and Oberlin (11:30 a.m.) March 31.