Traquair Named Wesleyan Soccer Coach

Macon, Ga. - Wesleyan College has hired Ciaran Traquair to be the next head coach of its soccer program.

Traquair joins the Pioneers athletic department after spending the last two seasons as the assistant men's soccer coach at Young Harris College.  Prior to that, he spent two seasons as a men's assistant at his alma mater, Shorter College, and one season as a women's assistant coach at Young Harris.

A native of Coatbridge, Scotland, Traquair played on scholarship at Shorter from 2003-2007, where he earned team MVP accolades three times as well as twice being named an SSAC All-Conference team member.  He still holds the single season assists record (17) as well as the career assists record (28) for the Hawks.  After graduating, he spent three seasons playing semi-pro soccer for the Mississippi Brilla FC and the Chattanooga FC.

Prior to coming to the States, Traquair played his high school soccer at St. Ambrose High School, where he led his team to the National Finals in back to back years.

"I would like to extend my appreciation to Patty Gibbs and the entire Wesleyan community for bringing me on board and giving me the opportunity to become the head coach of this program," remarked Traquair.  "This job was very appealing to me because I now have the opportunity to develop the program over time and get it headed in the right direction.  It is my goal above all to have a positive influence on the lives of my players both on and off the field, and in doing so, bringing success to the program and making it competitive and relevant once again."

The Wesleyan administration believes Traquair owns the skills necessary to accomplish those goals.

"Ciaran's experience as a player and coach will really bring our team to a new level of play," stated Wesleyan Athletic Director Patty Gibbs.  "His experience with recruitment will be an asset to the continued development of our team.  His enthusiasm for the sport will be contagious with our players and in the Wesleyan community.  Our GSAC competitors will see a different team on the field this fall."

Wesleyan opens the season on Saturday, September 1 against Johnson University at the Mathews Athletic Complex.

Wesleyan's DeGraff Earns GSAC All-Freshman Softball Honors

Macon, GA - Colleen DeGraff has been named to the 2012 Great South Athletic Conference Softball All Freshman team.  The Concord, Ga., native led the Pioneers in nearly every offensive statistical category, including batting average (.365), hits (27) and runs batted in (24).

Across the team's six wins this season, DeGraff put on an offensive clinic in leading the Pioneers at the plate.  She amassed an impressive .542 batting average (13-for-24), while scoring 11 runs and driving in 16. She saved her best for last when hits in both games against Tennessee Temple resulted in the Pioneers earning two wins.  In the first game, she hit a walk off double in the bottom of the seventh that scored two runs to give the Pioneers the win, and in the second game, her triple in the fourth inning that plated three runs put the Pioneers ahead for good.

"Colleen is certainly deserving of this honor," remarked Wesleyan head softball coach Dickey Hightower.  "She is a great team player who came to Wesleyan intending to play catcher, but throughout the season, she helped us out by playing most of the year at shortstop or third base.  She did serve as our catcher in several games, and she even did some pitching for us when we got in a bind.  Colleen led the team in hitting and RBI and was certainly one of our offensive sparks this year.  It will be great having her around for three more years."

In addition to DeGraff's All Freshman nod, senior Kayla Lumley and sophomore Anna Jones were recognized as members of the Great South Academic All-Conference team, while freshman Alexia Barrett earned the Individual Sportsmanship Award. Academic All Conference is awarded to athletes sophomore or older who have maintained a grade point average of 3.25 or higher.

Freshman Lifts Wesleyan Seniors to Season-Ending Sweep

Macon, Ga. - The Wesleyan softball team capped off its 2012 season on Monday afternoon with two wins over Tennessee Temple University, sending seniors Kayla Lumley and Tricia Velasco out in style.  The Pioneers defeated the Lady Crusaders by scores of 4-3 and 9-5.

Wesleyan trailed Tennessee Temple by two runs going into the bottom of the seventh inning in the opening game of the doubleheader, but the Pioneers strung together three hits and a walk to earn the come from behind win in exciting fashion.  With one out, freshman Megan Trietsch hit a single which was followed by a Kayla Lumley walk and an Anna Jones single, loading the bases.  Freshman Colleen DeGraff stepped up to the plate next, smacking a double that drove in three runs, giving Wesleyan the win.

Once again in the nightcap, Wesleyan found themselves trailing by three runs in the early innings before DeGraff came through in the clutch with another big hit.  The freshman's triple scored Katy Trietsch, Lumley and Jones and gave the Pioneers the momentum they needed to take the lead for good.

Seniors Kayla Lumley and Tricia Velasco, playing in the final games of their Wesleyan career, both contributed significantly to the wins.  Lumley finished the night 2-6, scoring 3 runs, while Velasco 3-7 with a double and an RBI.

"I'm glad to get these wins," remarked Velasco.  "We didn't win as much as we would have liked to this year, but I think it's been the best season I've had at Wesleyan, and I really think we owe it to Coach [Dickie Hightower]." 

Added Lumley, "Wining these games today meant the world to me. It's been a tough season and we've had to fight through a lot of adversity and injury, but today we came together as a team and overcame that adversity, which is what I'm most proud of."

Wesleyan wrapped up its year with a final record of 6-23, marking the most wins for the program since the 2007 season.

Pioneers Round Out GSAC Schedule With Southern Road Trip

Maryville, Tenn. - The Wesleyan College softball team wrapped up its Great South Athletic Conference schedule this weekend, travelling first to Salem College for a Friday night doubleheader in Winston-Salem, NC, before making the trek Maryville College for a Sunday afternoon doubleheader.  The Pioneers lost all four games over the weekend, closing out their conference season with a 2-14 record that ranks them seventh in the GSAC, one spot ahead of Spelman College.

In Friday evening's opening game, the Pioneers were shut out by Salem's freshman pitcher Abby Settles, who threw a no-hitter, striking out 10 Wesleyan batters to give her team the 8-0 advantage on the scoreboard.  The Pioneers made some adjustments at the plate during the second game of the doubleheader, picking up five hits, bolstered by Kayla Lumley's 2-for-3 performance.  However, it was the Pioneers defense that would cause them trouble in the nightcap with six errors contributing to an 11-2 loss.

With only 10 players making the trip, Coach Hightower gave the girls a break from softball on Saturday and took them white water rafting in Hot Springs, NC, before completing the trip to Maryville.

Sunday's doubleheader resulted in losses by scores of 8-0 and 9-1.  Wesleyan picked up seven hits from six different batters over the two games, and despite losing, Coach Hightower remained upbeat.  "Overall, I think we played pretty good against both Salem and Maryville.  We are getting better with each game and I'm proud of our effort each time we take the field."

Wesleyan plays its final doubleheader of the season on Monday evening against Tennessee Temple University, a team they have already beaten once this year.  First pitch is set for 4:00pm.  At the conclusion of the games, the Pioneers will pay tribute to their two seniors, Kayla Lumley and Tricia Velasco in a Senior Night celebration that will likely take place around 7:30pm.

Saturday Softball & Tennis Update

Wesleyan College sent both its softball and tennis teams on the road for Great South Athletic Conference competition. The Pioneer netters fell to Salem College while Piedmont College swept the softball team in a doubleheader.

Softball (4-17, 2-10 GSAC)
Game 1 Box Score
Piedmont College 19, Wesleyan College 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Wesleyan College.... 000 00 -  0  0  4
Piedmont College.... 942 4X - 19 11  1
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Wesleyan College - Shay Jones; Anna Jones (1); Kayla Lumley (2). Piedmont College -
Brittney Head; Kasey Headrick (4).
Win-Brittney Head (13-3)  Loss-Shay Jones (0-2)  T-1:23  A-44
A. Jones faced 2 batters in the 2nd.
S. Jones faced 3 batters in the 2nd
Top Performer: Kayla Lumley (3 assists, reached on error, 3.0 innings of relief)

Game 2 Box Score
Piedmont College 27, Wesleyan College 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Wesleyan College.... 0   0   0 00 -  0  2  8
Piedmont College.... (10)(10)6 1X - 27 20  0
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Wesleyan College - Kayla Lumley; Shay Jones (1); Colleen DeGraff (3).
Piedmont College - Amanda Posey; Megan Studdard (4).
Win-Amanda Posey (3-5)  Loss-Shay Jones (0-3)  T-1:35  A-45 
Top Performer: Anna Jones (1-for-2, 5 putouts)

Tennis (0-11, 0-6 GSAC)
Salem College 8, Wesleyan College 1

Singles competition

1. Kerri Morgan (SALEM) def. Lauren Mitchell (WC) 6-1, 6-0

2. Nozomi Hirai (WC) def. Angela Reavis (SALEM) 6-0, 6-2

3. Amy Allison (SALEM) def. Haley Ward (WC) 6-0, 6-0

4. Cierra Young (SALEM) def. Julia Shen (WC) 6-0, 6-0

5. Carly Neisler (SALEM) def. Ashley Jackson (WC) 6-0, 6-1

6. Lauren Wisen (SALEM) def. Joanna Esposita (WC) 6-0, 6-2

Doubles competition

1. Kerri Morgan/Angela Reavis (SALEM) def. Lauren Mitchell/Nozomi Hirai (WC) 8-2

2. Amy Allison/Cierra Young (SALEM) def. Ashley Jackson/Julia Shen (WC) 8-0

3. Carly Neisler/Lauren Wisen (SALEM) def. Katie McIntosh/Joanna Esposita (WC) 8-3

Wesleyan Honors Student-Athletes at Annual Awards Banquet

The Wesleyan College athletics department honored its student-athletes on Thursday night at its annual Athletics Awards Banquet.  Attended by nearly all of the school's athletes as well as President Knox, Dean Fowler, athletics director Patty Gibbs and faculty athletics representative Tom Ellington, the evening was a time set aside to celebrate the strides being made throughout the Pioneer athletics program.

The 2012 Wesleyan College Athlete of the Year was awarded to junior Lindsay Haggerty, who was instrumental in bringing about change for the Wesleyan basketball program this season. The Battle Creek, MI, native helped lead the Pioneers to an 8-12 record, which marked the team’s best season in nearly a decade. For her consistent play throughout the season, Haggerty was named to the Great South Athletic Conference women's basketball All Conference team, marking the first All Conference selection for the Pioneers since the 2002-03 season. She wrapped up the year ranked in the top ten in six different Great South Athletic Conference categories, highlighted by her league-leading scoring average of 16.7 points per game. Haggerty led Wesleyan in scoring in 16 of their 19 games played, scoring 15 or more points in 13 of her 19 games.

This year’s Multi-Sport Athlete of the Year was remarkably enough awarded to a freshman, Christina Mayfield. The Macon, Ga., native was the top performer for Wesleyan’s cross country team this fall, while also starting at midfield for the soccer team, and this spring, she is the starting left fielder for the Pioneer softball team. Mayfield finished 17th overall at the 2011 Great South Athletic Conference Cross Country Championship, which was good enough to earn her a spot on the GSAC All-Freshman team. She was Wesleyan’s top finisher in each race she competed in, and she earned four top-25 finishes over the course of the season. On the soccer field, she started all 16 games and her speed was critical on the defensive side of the ball. New to the game of softball, Mayfield started every game thus far this season and has consistently improved both in the field and at the plate over the course of the season.

Spirited and lively, Suzra Antoine was the recipient of the 2012 Pioneer Spirit Award. A member of the Wesleyan soccer team, the junior defender played in every match this season and scored her first career goal in a victory over Johnson University. Not only a participant in Wesleyan athletics, “Suze” is also the department’s biggest cheerleader who can be found encouraging her classmates at nearly every event on campus.

Receiving the Scholar-Athlete of the Year award for the second consecutive year, senior Anna Plue is a dual sport athlete who competes for both the volleyball and equestrian teams. She has maintained a perfect grade point average over the course of her collegiate academic career and hopes to one day become an animator or work to make special effects for movies. Known for excellence both athletically and academically, she has earned a spot on the Great South Athletic Conference Academic All-Conference volleyball team each of the last two seasons. In the equestrian ring, Plue qualified to compete in Regionals in the Western horsemanship division this year.

The Team GPA Award is given to the team that holds the highest collective GPA on campus, and this year, the Equestrian team earned the honor by combining for an overall grade point average of 3.45, which was a full point higher than the second ranked team. A well-rounded student-athlete who excels not only but also academically and as a contributor to the campus community is what Wesleyan strives to produce. Under the supervision of coach Courtenay Bunn, the equestrian team is held to high standards both on horseback and in the classroom. Coach Bunn monitors the academic progress of each of her student-athletes over the course of the school year and requires regular study hall hours from each of her riders. Led by the team’s only senior, Anna Plue, the 2012 equestrian team has proven that they have found the proper balance between athletics competitiveness and academic excellence.

A new award added to the program this year was the Helping Hands Award, which essentially represents the department's volunteer of the year.  Megan Crissy has gone above and beyond in her efforts to help out the athletics department over the course of the entire school year.  From game day set up and tear down to selling concessions, the sophomore from Canton, Ga., was at nearly every home event assisting coaches and athletic trainer Christine Clancy in one way or another.

Each team honored its individual award winners at the dinner, and they are listed below:

Cross Country:
Runner of the Year- Christina Mayfield
Heart and Hustle- Turhonda Williams
Sportsmanship - Kaitlyn Rentz

Soccer:
Most Improved Player Award - Suzanne Smith
Freshman of the Year Award - Abby Stephens
MVP of the Year Award - Charly Harris

Volleyball:
Leadership Award- Alaina (Avera) Harrison
Leadership Award- Cecilia Cortez
Most Improved- Anna Plue

Basketball:
Leadership Award- Lindsay Haggerty
Most Improved- Evgenia Korun
Heart and Hustle- Sha'Vonda Jones

Softball:
Leadership Award- Kayla Lumley
Coach's Award- Tricia Velasco
Rookie Award- Colleen DeGraff

Tennis:
Most Dedicated - Joanna Esposita
Sportsmanship Award- Nozomi Hirai
Team Spirit - Lauren Mitchell

Equestrian:
Most Improved: Catherine Jordan
Best Sportsmanship: Jenna Ford
Coach's Award: Aaron South

Wesleyan Sees Agnes Scott Rally for Doubleheader Sweep

MACON, Ga. - Despite a strong start to the second game of their GSAC doubleheader, Wesleyan College dropped both contests to Agnes Scott Collge by scores of 16-1 and 19-4.

Box Score - 1 | Box Score - 2 | Season Stats

In the nightcap, Wesleyan scored twice in both the first and third innings to grab a 4-3 advantage. Tricia Velasco drove in three runs to spark the Pioneer offense. Agnes Scott answered in the fourth inning, taking advantage of six Pioneer errors in a 10-run frame which put the game out of reach. Velasco and Colleen DeGraff each collected a pair of hits for Wesleyan. Kayla Lumley took the loss despite hurling a complete game.

The Scotties (15-10, 8-6 GSAC) broke open a close game in the opener with a nine-run second inning. Freshman Tiffany Cain went 3-for-4 with four RBI to pace ASC. Shay Jones made her first career start in the circle, taking the loss but also led the Pioneers (4-15, 2-8) at the pate with a pair of hits.

Wesleyan returns to the field on Saturday when they travel to Piedmont College for another GSAC doubleheader.

Wesleyan College Athletics Celebrates Inaugural NCAA DIII Week

MACON, Ga. – As a member institution of the NCAA’s Division III athletics program, Wesleyan College is joining with 441 other colleges and universities across the country to celebrate student-athletes and their role in non-scholarship athletics. The NCAA has declared the week of April 9-15 Division III Week.

At the Division III level, student-athletes play for the love of the game and are not granted athletic scholarships. According to www.ncaa.org, “Division III athletics provides a well-rounded collegiate experience that involves a balance of rigorous academics, competitive athletics, and the opportunity to pursue the multitude of other co-curricular and extra-curricular opportunities offered on Division III campuses… Division III features student-athletes who are subject to the same admission standards, academic standards, housing, and support services as the general student body. The integration of athletics with the larger institution enables student-athletes to experience all aspects of campus life.”

Nearly 40% of all NCAA collegiate athletes compete at the Division III level. About 80% of the schools competing at this level are private universities with smaller enrollments, which results in a significant percentage of the student body population becoming involved in athletics. At Wesleyan, there are currently 54 athletes on campus, nine of which play two or more sports, which comprises 17% of the traditional student body population.

Wesleyan College abides by and embraces the Division III athletics philosophy. Many of the school’s athletes hold leadership positions in clubs and organizations on campus in addition to excelling in the classroom. Through the fall and winter sport seasons, 11 Wesleyan student-athletes have been named to the Great South Athletic Conference Academic All Conference team for their given sports, which requires a 3.25 grade point average for those athletes who are a sophomore or older.

This week, Wesleyan athletics will feature both softball and tennis home events. The softball team will host Agnes Scott College Tuesday afternoon for a doubleheader beginning at 5:00pm, while the tennis team will take on Huntingdon College on Sunday morning at 10:00am. Please join us in supporting these ladies who dedicate their time to representing Wesleyan in athletics for the love of the game.

Velasco Named Student-Athlete of the Week

STUDENT-ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Name: Tricia Velasco

Age: 22

Year: Senior

Sport: Softball/Tennis

Position: Catcher/1B

Major: Biology

Minor: Neuroscience and Psychology

A native of Valdosta, Ga., senior Tricia Velasco has played just about every sport Wesleyan has to offer over the course of her four years at the school. She is currently a member of the tennis team and plays catcher and first base for the Pioneer softball team. When she first arrived on campus, she played both soccer and basketball, but a knee injury she suffered during her sophomore year forced her to stop playing those sports and turn to new ones.

Velasco joined the softball team her junior year when roster numbers were down and has started nearly every game either at catcher or first base since then. This year, as a senior, she picked up tennis and has played several matches for the Pioneers at the No. 3 or No. 4 singles spot when matches didn’t overlap with softball games.

“For the past 4 years, I have been steadily committed to athletics and the organizations I'm involved in. People usually call me crazy for doing all the things I'm doing and for playing 2 sports at once, but I thoroughly enjoy what I do and am passionate about them. I've enjoyed learning new sports and being able to help out the teams who needed another player. In other words, I'm glad to have made an impact one way or another.”


1) Why did you choose to attend Wesleyan College?

I chose to attend Wesleyan because of the close-knit environment it provided when I first visited here. From that moment on, I knew this was going to be the place where I could grow and take advantage of opportunities that came my way.

2. You have participated in several sports during your time at Wesleyan. How has your participation in athletics helped enhance your collegiate experience thus far?

It has definitely taught me how to multi-task! I've learned to be more flexible and to better adapt to situations since I've had to learn new positions and even new sports while at Wesleyan.

3. This year you added an internship in Athletic Training to your schedule. Describe your time working with Christine Clancy and the impact it has had on your own athletic participation.

Working with Christine has made me appreciate all the hard work she puts towards athletes and the athletics program in general. She's like the glue that keeps us together. As for the impact it’s had on me, I don't need WebMD anymore to tell me what's wrong with me, because I have a better knowledge of what could potentially be wrong.

4. What are your plans for the future?

I've recently made some connections to an unexpected career field with computers. I plan on trying that out for a bit and see if it's the right fit. I'll probably go to school at the same time pursuing either nursing or athletic training.

Wesleyan Swept by Huntingdon in GSAC Doubleheader

MACON, Ga. - League-leading Huntingdon College rode a potent offense to a sweep of Wesleyan College in Great South Athletic Conference action at the Mathews Athletic Complex on Sunday afternoon. The Hawks cruised to the victories by scores of 14-2 and 28-0.

Box Score - 1 | Box Score - 2 | Season Stats

Kayla Lumley went 2-for-3 from the leadoff spot in the first game while Lexi Barrett came off the bench in the nightcap to pick up Wesleyan's only hit. Aleah Payne highlighted the Huntingdon day going 9-for-9 with 10 RBI and five triples in the doubleheader.

Wesleyan returns to action on Thursday when they host No. 4 Emory University at the MAC. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 5pm.

Softball Postpones Doubleheader Until Tomorrow

Macon, Ga. - The softball doubleheader against Huntingdon College scheduled for today at 1:00 and 3:00 pm has been postponed until tomorrow due to inclement weather.  Tomorrow's games will begin at 2:00 pm.

Pioneers Blanked in GSAC Doubleheader

LaGrange, Ga. - Wesleyan College dropped both games of a Great South Athletic Conference doubleheader at LaGrange College on Wednesday night.

The Pioneers were blanked in both games, falling 15-0 and 16-0. Despite the score, first-year head coach Dickey Hightower felt encouraged.

"I was more proud of our effort tonight than I was in our win at Tennessee Temple," Hightower said. "We showed a lot more energy and enthusiasm the whole time."

The Pioneers return to the field on Saturday when they host Huntingdon College. The GSAC doubleheader will begin at 1:00at the MAC.

Tennis Falls One Point Shy of First GSAC Win

LaGrange College 5, Wesleyan College 4
Mar 26, 2012 at LaGrange, Ga.

Singles competition

1. Caroline Brashier (LCW) def. Lauren Mitchell (WC) 6-0, 6-0

2. Kelsey Ellison (LCW) def. Nozomi Hirai (WC) 6-2, 6-2

3. Brittany Gray (LCW) def. Katie McIntosh (WC) 6-2, 6-3

4. Anjelica Wilcox (LCW) def. Ashley Jackson (WC) 6-3, 6-2

5. Joanna Esposita (WC) def. Stephanie Harris (LCW) 3-6, 6-0, 6-4

6. Julia Shen (WC) def. Nicole Wilson (LCW) 6-2, 6-1

Doubles competition

1. Caroline Brashier/Kelsey Ellison (LCW) def. Lauren Mitchell/Joanna Esposita (WC) 8-0

2. Nozomi Hirai/Katie McIntosh (WC) def. Brittany Gray/Anjelica Wilcox (LCW) 8-3

3. Ashley Jackson/Julia Shen (WC) def. Stephanie Harris/Taylor Baldwin (LCW) 8-4


Head Coach Tom Bates:
"Our closest match yet, we jumped ahead by taking two of the three doubles matches, with Ashley Jackson and Julia Shen partnering to win 8-4 and Nozomi Hirai and Katie McIntosh also getting the victory. In singles, Wesleyan #1 Lauren Mitchell had a very tough draw against Caroline Brashier, who trained at RCS with Melanie Oudin a current WTA professional tennis player (She went pro instead of college). Lauren played very well and continues to improve as a freshman against veteran opponents. Joanna Esposita won her second match in less than a week coming back from a set  down to beat Stephanie Harris, while Julia Shen scored her first singles win of the season to go along with her earlier doubles win. In the end we fell one match short of taking the overall, but this is the best showing yet of Wesleyan tennis."

Wesleyan Softball Splits with Tennessee Temple

Chattanooga, Tenn. - The Wesleyan College softball team picked up its fourth win of the season on Monday night when they defeated Tennessee Temple University by a score of 6-5.

The Pioneers jumped out to an early lead, but the Crusaders (1-21) battled back and took a two run lead into the seventh inning.  Wesleyan (4-9) plated three runs in the top of the seventh and played solid defense in the bottom half of the inning to hold on for the win.  Senior pitcher Kayla Lumley earned her second win of the season from the circle, while freshmen Colleen DeGraff and Christina Mayfield each picked up two hits to lead the way for the Pioneer offense.

Wesleyan lost the second game of the doubleheader by a score of 12-4 despite Lumley's 3-4 performance from the plate.  The Crusaders stepped up their offense collecting 10 hits while holding the Pioneers to only six.

"We are glad to come away from today with a win," stated first year head coach Dickey Hightower.  "We still have some things we need to work on but we are getting better.  We're going to work on improving our level of intensity and focus during ball games so that we can be more consistent as the season progresses."

Wesleyan hits the field once again on Wednesday when they travel to LaGrange College for a doubleheader beginning at 5:00pm.

Wesleyan Softball Falls to Covenant

Macon, Ga. - The Wesleyan College softball team bounced back from a game one shutout to nearly pull off a game two upset against Great South Athletic Conference newcomer Covenant College on Saturday afternoon.

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Season Stats

Covenant's Chelsea Krafft threw a three-hit shutout as the Scots picked up a 14-0 win in the first game of the day.  Kayla Lumley, Colleen DeGraff and Morgan Cramer all singled in the loss.

After a short break, the Pioneers were able to regroup and jumped out to a 5-1 lead after the second inning.  A single by Lumley drove in two Pioneer runs, which were followed by two more runs that were scored off of a triple by DeGraff.

Covenant brought Krafft back to the circle at the start of the third inning and she once again shut down the Pioneer offense.  Wesleyan gathered six hits in the first two innings of the game but were only able to collect three more upon her return.

The Scots tied the game at 5-5 in the fourth inning before a couple of untimely errors in the fifth inning resulted in four more Covenant runs.  Wesleyan tried to mount a seventh inning rally but were only able to muster two runs, ultimately dropping the contest by a score of 9-7.

Covenant moved to 13-6 (6-3) while Wesleyan fell to 3-8 (2-2).  The Pioneers return to action on Monday when they travel to Tennessee Temple University in Chattanooga, Tenn. for a doubleheader. 

Softball Drops Two to Agnes Scott

Decatur, Ga. - Agnes Scott's powerful offense was too much for the Wesleyan College softball team, which dropped both games of a non-conference doubleheader by scores of 18-1 and 9-1.

Senior Kayla Lumley and freshman Megan Trietsch managed the Pioneers only two hits in the first game of the day, while sophomore Morgan Cramer picked up the lone hit of game two.

Cramer moved to 2-3 from the circle after game one, while Lumley's game two loss moved her overall record to 1-3.

The Pioneers return to the diamond on Saturday afternoon when they host Covenant College.  First pitch for the doubleheader is scheduled for 1:00pm.

Tennis Review: Week 4

Wesleyan tennis entered its fourth week of competition with a home-and-home series against in-state foe Reinhardt University.

The Pioneers lost the first match with Reinhardt on March 13 by a score of 6-0. The doubles team of Lauren Mitchell and Joanna Esposita were featureed in the team's best match, an 8-3 loss at No. 2 doubles.

Wesleyan got a chance to turn the tables on the Eagles on Thursday evening at the Mathews Athletic Complex. Despite claiming victories at No. 3 doubles and No. 6 singles due to Reinhardt injuries, Wesleyan could not build enough momentum in the remaining seven contests in a 7-2 loss.

Coach Tom Bates was encouraged by the results. "This was a rematch from Tuesday, and once again our girls continued to improve. Nozomi was battling point for point with Alejandra Bejarano, scholarship player from Columbia, and was tied at 3-3 in the first set. The second set was close before Nozomi was forced to retire from the match early in the second set."

"Lauren Mitchell played maybe her best match so far against a very powerful left handed oponent in Cassie Quast and always faces the best players on the other team at positions #1 and #2. Joanna Esposita continues to work hard, and has won at least a game in every match so far this year. Haley and Gloria received a walk over win when one of their doubles oponents was injured and was not able to play. Gloria also received the win in singles against that same player. Finally, Haley was actually improving in her match against Taylor, and with more practice time can be a great contributor on the team."
 
Wesleyan faces a busy week five that features three straight matches beginning with a Thursday afternoon match at GSAC rival LaGrange. They return home for a Friday contest versus Southeastern University and then wrap up the three-match stretch with a neutral site match against Salem College in Hilton Head.
 

Wesleyan Opens GSAC Play with Sweep of Spelman

Macon, Ga. - Wesleyan College opened Great South Athletic Conference play with a sweep of visiting Spelman College at the Mathews Athletic Complex. The Pioneers run-ruled the Jaguars in both games, claiming 14-5 and 19-11 victories.

Box Score-1 | Box Score-2 | Season Stats

In the doubleheader's first game, Wesleyan scored 14 runs including three from center fielder Anna Jones. The Pioneers gave up two runs out of the gate to open the game, but answered with a five run bottom of the first to take control. Wesleyan scored in every frame on their way to run-ruling Spelman 14-5. Shay Jones led the offensive attack with a 2-for-3 game while driving in three runs. Colleen DeGraff, Tricia Velasco and Morgan Cramer each added two RBI. Kayla Lumley (1-2) earned her first win of the season with the complete game effort.

The nightcap featured high powered offense from both teams in the 19-11 Wesleyan victory. The teams combined for 30 runs and 23 hits in just five innings. Morgan Cramer's RBI single in the bottom of the fifth provided the final 8-run margin to seal the victory. Jones drove in four more runs while going 2-for-2 with three runs scored. DeGraff added a 3-for-5 day with three RBI and three runs. Cramer earned the victory after 3.0 innings of relief to improve to 2-2 for the season.

Wesleayn returns to action with a GSAC doubleheader at Maryville on Sunday.

Wesleyan Softball Earns First Win of the Season at Lauren Giddings Memorial Tournament

Decatur, Ga. - The Wesleyan College softball team picked up its first win of the season when they defeated Great South rival Spelman College in the first game of the Lauren Giddings Memorial Tournament by a score of 20-3.

Despite getting a late start due to stormy weather in the area, the Pioneers jumped on the Jaguars early, plating five runs in the first inning.  Spelman took advantage of a Wesleyan error to score two runs of their own before the Pioneers picked up the pace offensively with a 6-run third inning and an 8-run fifth inning to round out the game.

As the team's leadoff batter, senior shortstop Kayla Lumley managed to draw five walks in the game, scoring runs on four of them.  Freshman third baseman Colleen DeGraff went 3-5 from the plate, scoring three runs and adding three RBI.  Senior catcher Tricia Velasco also sparked the Pioneer offense with a 2-3 performance at the plate, scoring three runs of her own while driving in two others.

Sophomore pitcher Morgan Cramer picked up her first collegiate win, giving up only three hits in five innings of work.  The Macon, Ga., native recorded five strikeouts while walking four batters.

Wesleyan dropped games to host Agnes Scott and the University of the South to round out the tournament that was won by Brenau University.  Lumley and DeGraff were named to the All-Tournament team for their performance over the course of the weekend. 

The Pioneers return to action following spring break when they host Spelman in a doubleheader at the Mathews Athletic Complex.  First pitch is set for 5:00pm.

Wesleyan Softball to Compete in Lauren Giddings Memorial Tournament

Macon, Ga. - The Wesleyan College softball team will compete this weekend in the Lauren Giddings Memorial Tournament hosted by Agnes Scott College at Oakhurst Field in Decatur.

The tournament is being held in honor of Agnes Scott alumna Lauren Giddings, who was slain in Macon this past June.  Giddings was a four year letter winner for the Scotties softball team and graduated from the college in 2006.  She then moved to Macon, where she had recently graduated from Mercer University's School of Law before her life was tragically cut short last summer.

The Pioneers will open the tournament on Saturday morning at 10:00am against Great South rival Spelman College.  The remainder of their game times and opponents will be determined based on a double elimination tournament format.  Other schools competing in the event are Sewanee, Brenau and host Agnes Scott.