HARTFORD, Conn. — In the Trinity College softball team's home opener against Wesleyan University, Tiffany Stowers (Burke, Va.) garnered both wins on the mound in the doubleheader and the junior drilled a walk-off grand slam out of right field in the fifth inning for a 12-3 mercy-rule win in game one on Sunday. The Cardinals knotted game two in the fifth inning at four apiece, but a double by Kennedy Rogers (Pomona, Calif.) brought Gianna Tito (East Hanover, N.J.) home for the eventual game-winning run in the bottom of the fifth to complete the sweep with a 5-4 victory. Trinity improved to 5-7 on the season and 2-0 in the New England Small College Athletic Conference, while Wesleyan dropped to 8-12 and 0-4.The Bantams travel to Mitchell College for a 3 p.m. doubleheader on Wednesday.

After two scoreless innings, a solo bomb streaking over the fence in centerfield by Taylor Mikolajczak (Johns Creek, Ga.) ignited a five-run third inning for the Navy & Gold in the third inning of the first game. In the number two hole of the batting order, Abigail Alper (Weston, Fla.) reached first off an error by first base and was brought home three batters later, with a pair of outs on the board, off a two bagger to centerfield by Rogers. Trinity brought the entire order to the dish in the third, as Alyssa Gazivoda (Poughquag N.Y.) tripled to right field to bring home Lizzie Nelson (Rockville, Md.) and Rogers, followed by a single up the middle of the diamond to allow Gazivoda to cross the plate. Scarlett Gillette (Andover, Mass.) kept the inning alive with a single through the center of the field before the final out on the next at bat.

Molly Lennon led off the top of the fourth with a single up the middle for Wesleyan and scored two batters later of a ground out to short stop to put the visitors on the board. In the bottom of the fourth, Rogers sent Stowers home with the juniors second double of the game to pad Trinity's lead by one after Stowers reached first off an error by short stop. On the next play, Rogers scored after the Cardinals failed to get the out at home and Nelson landed on first base before the first-year advanced to second on the throw. Gazivoda doubled to right field and brought home Nelson to put Trinity up, 7-1. Wesleyan managed to earn a trio of runs in the top of the fifth inning, but Stowers' grand slam shut down the mini rally after the Bantams loaded the bases with a hit by pitch, a single and a walk.

In similar fashion, the teams kept the scoreboard clean through two innings before Hannah Docktor scored after Cate Palmer reached first base on an error by second base in the top of the third. In the bottom half of the frame, Tito tripled to bring Alper home after the rookie doubled to get into scoring position and even the score, 1-1. Krissy Gately secured the first lead across both contests for the Cardinals after a ground out to short stop by Alexis Campbell brought the junior home. Nelson crossed the plate for the 2-2 tie after Gillette reached first off an error by left field.

Mikolajczak singled to allow Gillette and Erin Steed (Orland, Park, Ill.) to score. In the top of the fifth inning, Isabella Secaira-Cotto hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield to bring home Sydney Walls for the game-knotting run, 4-4. Stowers managed to get out of the inning with a swinging strikeout followed by the game-winner run by Tito off Roger's third double across both games.

Erin Girard opened game two against Wesleyan after three innings of work and a trio of strikeouts before closing out the final inning for her first-career save with a walk, two swinging strikes and a ground out to shortstop.