J&W Box Score / Capital Box Score

FT. MYERS, Fla. - Rensselaer began its season successfully, defeating Johnson & Wales, 9-1, behind two-hit pitching from freshman Michelle Bianchetti (Highland Mills, NY/John S. Burke Catholic) and sophomore Michelle Street (E. Syracuse, NY/E. Syracuse). The Red Hawks fell in their second game, losing 8-4 to Capital.

In the opener, Bianchetti earned the win after allowing just two hits with four strikeouts in four innings. Street pitched the final inning, strikeout out three without allowing a hit. Offensively, sophomore Julianne Bass (Costa Mesa, CA/Newport Harbor) was 1 for 3 with a home run and two runs batted in. Three others, Sara Finkbeiner (Napanoch, NY/Ellenville), Natalie Gendron (Auburn, NH/Manchester Memorial), and Katherine Valenta (LaGrange, IL/Lyons Township), were all 2 for 3. Finkbeiner also scored a run and knocked one home while Gendron scored twice.

The second game saw Valenta and Becky Bailey (Rome, NY/Holland Patent) both go 2 for 4 but the Red Hawks fell, 8-4. Bailey also scored twice. Street started in the circle, allowing five hits with five strikeouts in five innings. Bianchetti pitched the final two innings, allowing two hits with three strikeouts.