SOFTBALL TEAM DROPS DOUBLE HEADER AT PINE MANOR
March 31, 2009
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - Pine Manor College (6-8) improved to 4-2 in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action with a two-game sweep of Emmanuel (5-13, 2-6 GNAC) in Chestnut Hill on Tuesday night. The Gators picked up 6-3 and 10-0 wins over the visiting Saints. Freshman right fielder Jackie Mannino (Little Silver, N.J.) went a combined 4-for-5 with two doubles, a homer and seven RBI's, and Kayla Ferrara (South Portland, Maine), Patty Pabon (Bronx, N.Y.) and Veronica Vozzolo (Bellmore, N.Y.) scored three runs apiece in the two victories.
Starter Tara Doehler (Lakeville, Mass.) gave up two runs on two hits in the first inning and an unearned run with two outs in the second, but settled down to allow just three hits and no runs over the final five frames. Doehler's offense, meanwhile, wasted no time in accounting for the early deficit, with Pabon ripping the first pitch of the bottom of the first into the corner for a double, going to third on a Vozzolo bunt single and scoring on a Saints' error. Mannino singled in Vozzolo four batters later to tie the game at 2-2.
Down 3-2 in the third inning, another Saints' error paved the way for a three-run rally capped by Mannino's first career home run, a two-out, two-run shot to right that sent the Gators ahead 5-3. Two-time All-Conference pick Courtney Wallace (Steep Falls, Maine) went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI's. Doehler moved to 2-2 on her freshman campaign, going seven innings, striking out five and giving up two earned runs, lifting her ERA to 2.42 through four starts.
Emmanuel rookie Kathryn Copp (Fremont, N.H.) picked up the loss, allowing six runs, three earned, striking out four and giving up eight hits over six innings. Catcher Kristen Landers (Worcester, Mass.) went 2-for-3 with a run scored in the loss.
Pabon drew a lead-off walk and came around to score on a Wallace RBI ground out to open game two for the Gators. Mannino continued her two-out hitting, doubling in Nielsen and Ferrara and was chased home a batter later, when pitcher Jackie Martinez knocked her home with a two-bagger of her own in a four-run first.
Up 6-0 to open the fourth, the Gators lead-off hitter was again the source of another rally, one that would put away the Saints for good. After singling the opposite way to right, Pabon stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on an error a batter later. After Ferrara singled home Vozzolo with her tenth RBI of the season, Mannino looped her second two-run double of the game to left-center, scoring Nielsen and Ferrara.
Jackie Martinez (Albuquerque, NM), meanwhile, was unwavering on the mound, allowing three hits over five shutout innings. She walked none and struck out eight, framing three Emmanuel observers looking in the third. She evened her record at 4-4 on the season, moving to 3-1 in GNAC play.
Freshman Jesse Hutchins (Sebago, Maine) picked up the loss in game two. Emmanuel's three hits in the second game came by way of rookies: Chelsey Guselli (Methuen, Mass.), Elyse Turgeon (Dracut, Mass.) and Heather Hamel (Belchertown, Mass.).
The Saints will be back in action this weekend, as they play three back to back to back double-headers. Emmanuel will play at Saint Joseph's College in Standish, Maine on Friday afternoon. The Saints will then host Saint Joseph College (CT) on Saturday at 4pm and Lasell College on Sunday at 12pm. Both home double-headers will be played at Rotch Playground in Boston, Mass.