After a successful run over spring break that left the team with an impressive 11 wins, the Kenyon softball team split its first home doubleheader of the season on Saturday against Carnegie Mellon University (Pa.).
The Owls were originally scheduled to play six games this week, but the unpredictable Ohio weather had other plans. The team began a road doubleheader against John Carroll University on March 20, but the games were called off during the fourth inning of game one due to rain and snow.
However, the weather cleared up enough for the Owls to face off against the Tartans at home on Saturday. The first game got off to a poor start for Kenyon, as Carnegie Mellon scored two runs in the first inning after a confluence of unfortunate events: two stolen bases, an error by Kenyon and an RBI groundout. Innings two through five were cold and void of runs, as the Tartans’ pitcher struggled with control, issuing three walks. However, the Owls failed to capitalize on the opportunity, as they left four runners on base across the four innings.
In a dramatic sixth inning, Carnegie Mellon solidified its lead by gaining another run from a Kenyon error, before a three-run home run put the Tartans ahead 6-0. Carnegie Mellon continued their success with four more runs in the seventh inning. Though the Owls narrowly avoided a shutout thanks to singles from Natalya Delsante ’25 and Brooke Avila ’27, Carnegie Mellon took game one 10-2.
The Owls swooped in and snatched a win in their second game, beating the Tartans 4-3 in a close match. Neither team was able to get on the board until Kenyon scored two runs courtesy of a double from Sophia Lynch ’25, a single from Madison Buckwalter ’26 and a couple of errors from Carnegie Mellon. The Tartans answered back with a run in the fourth, but starting pitcher Amanda Harris ’25 limited the damage. Kinsey White ’28 and Keala Montgomery ’27 each came around to score in the fourth inning, but a two-run fifth inning for Carnegie Mellon knocked Harris out of the game.
The Owls brought in relief pitcher Izzy Akin ’28 after the Tartans’ third run, and she stopped Carnegie Mellon in its tracks, keeping the visitors from scoring for the remainder of the game to ensure Kenyon’s 4-3 victory. “We rallied around our starting pitcher, Amanda Harris’, performance,” Akin said of the team’s success in the second game in an email to the Collegian. Reflecting more broadly on their season so far, Montgomery added, “Our spring break was pretty great, but the competition wasn’t the toughest. We felt good about our play, but we knew we weren’t really tested. Carnegie [Mellon] is good, and we knew they would be a real test. Which is why our performance after the first game was so important. We showed that we can compete with some of the better teams out there.”
The split brought the Owls’ record to 12-4. Kenyon’s next matchup will be against the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg (Pa.) Bobcats in a doubleheader at home on Monday. Despite the early season disruptions, Akin is confident in the team’s abilities. “With spring break and our first games of the season under our belts, I’d say we are feeling excited and hopeful for what is to come. We have a lot of talent and enough grit to tackle any challenges thrown our way,” Akin said.