MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Junior Juli Wright drove in a run and scored another in the top of the ninth to lead the Centenary University softball team to a 7-5 win over Dean College in extra innings on Tuesday morning at the Fast Pitch Spring Dreams Classic in Myrtle Beach.

The win over Dean allowed the Cyclones to split their two games on Tuesday. Centenary fell to Iowa Wesleyan 13-0 in its second game of the day.

Dean College Recap
Both teams were firing early with runs in the first inning.

Wright roped a two-out triple to right field in the top of the first and came around to score. Centenary added to its lead as freshman Kayla Morales and junior Jessica Hewitt had back-to-back RBI singles.

Dean answered the Cyclones with three runs of its own in the bottom of the first and tied the game. The big blow in the inning came from Makenzie Souza, who had a two-run double to right field.

The game remained tied until the top of the fourth inning as sophomore Tessa Ferentinos beat out an infield single and freshman Janaya Gaetan scored on the play.

Dean forced the game into extra innings with a two-out run in the bottom of the seventh. Alexis Portales crossed the plate with the game-tying run.

Centenary got a runner on in the top of the eighth but could not bring her around.

In the top of the ninth, Wright drove a two-out single to right field which scored sophomore Roxana Gonzalez. Junior Justine Stefura followed with an infield single that allowed Ferentinos to cross the plate. Wright then came around to score on sophomore Courtney Deloughery's base knock as the Cyclones led 7-4.

Dean got one of those runs back in the bottom of the ninth but Hewitt got the final two outs to secure the win.

Hewitt picked up her second win of the year after tossing all nine innings and allowing five runs on nine hits. Karissa Menzinger took the loss for Dean after giving up seven runs on 13 hits in nine innings of action.

Ferentinos was an impressive 4-for-5 at the plate for the Cyclones with a run scored and an RBI. Wright, Deloughery, Morales and Hewitt all had two hits and an RBI as well.

Portales had three hits to lead Dean.

Iowa Wesleyan Recap
Iowa Wesleyan struck early against the Cyclones with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning.

The Tigers added seven runs in the top of the second inning and took a 9-0 lead over the Cyclones. Allison Daum had a two-run single and also came around to score in the frame.

Iowa Wesleyan capped the scoring with four runs in the top of the third. Daum once again reached base and crossed the plate for the Tigers.

Morgan Christner picked up the win in the circle for Iowa Wesleyan as she gave up three hits while striking out 12. Gonzalez took the loss for the Cyclones as she gave up two runs while walking three.

Daum had a hit, two runs scored and two RBIs for Iowa Wesleyan.

Stefura, Morales and sophomore Meghan Hughes had the hits for the Cyclones.

Centenary is back in action on Wednesday, March 13 when the Cyclones face Franciscan and La Roche.