DAVIS LEADS SOFTBALL PAST WESLEY, 10-5

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Freshman shortstop Catherine Davis (Wethersfield, Conn.) went 3-3 with three RBI and two runs scored to lead the Emmanuel College softball ball team over Wesley College, 10-5, Sunday morning in Day 1 action of the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic. The Saints improve to 1-1 on the year while the Wolverines drop to 0-3 in the early goings of the 2013 campaign.

Emmanuel got on the board first with a run in the top of the second behind a pair of doubles to left-centerfield. Senior first baseman Kelly Lloid (Issaquah, Wash.) led off the inning with a double but was cut down at the plate on a fielder's choice.  Sophomore catcher Carina Paz (Fall River, Mass.) reached on the play and came around to score on the second double of the frame by sophomore left fielder Julia Demirali (West Roxbury, Mass.).

In the top of the second, the Saints would bat around and score five runs on three hits. Freshman second baseman Kerianne Vulpis () reached on an error to open the frame and immediately stole second to get into scoring position. Junior catcher Julia Levins (Uxbridge, Mass.) drove her home with an RBI triple to left-centerfield to make it a 2-0 game. Following a walk to Davis to put runners at the corners junior designated player Jennifer Garrity (Lynn, Mass.) knocked in Levins with an RBI single up the middle. Davis would score on a sac-fly to make it 3-0 and pinch-running for Garrity was senior Jackie Murray (Saugus, Mass.) who came around on a squeeze play by freshman third baseman Jenna Marcello (Hopedale, Mass.) to make it 5-0. Marcello would plate the final run of the inning on a fielder's choice to account for the Saint's 6-0 lead.

Davis would make it 7-0 with an inside the park homerun in the fourth inning. The rookie ripped a shot down the left field line that skipped over the third base bag and just kept rolling. Davis made it home without a play at the plate.

The Wolverines answered in the bottom half of the frame to get back in the ballgame, plating four runs including an inside the park grand slam by freshman first baseman Samantha Mahoski (Rockaway, N.J.). Emmanuel rookie pitcher Val Kiers (West Warwick, R.I.) had been on cruise control, retiring nine of 10 batters faced leading up to the fourth before surrendering her first hit of the day to Wesley freshman Sreph Caracozza (Wayne, N.J.). Later in the inning with the bases loaded and only one out, Mahoski went with a pitch on the outside part of the plate and drove it to right field. Paz made a break in on the ball and the short hop scooted past her all the way to the fence allowed Mahoski and the three runners on base to come around and score to cut the Saints lead to 7-4.

Welsey added a run in the fifth on an RBI double to left-centerfield by junior Ashly Bendorovich (Levittown, Pa.) to make it 7-5.

The Saints would add two more runs in the sixth as Davis slammed a two-RBI triple to dead centerfield, plating Vulpis and freshman centerfielder Marianne Halas (Lynn, Mass.) who each reached on singles earlier in the frame. Emmanuel would also plate an insurance run in the seventh on an RBI groundout by Demirali, plating freshman third baseman Jenna Marcello (Hopedale, Mass.) who reached on a single to account for the 10-5 final.

Marcello finished the game with two hits, two runs and an RBI while Kiers went the distance for EC, tossing seven innings and allowing five runs on seven hits to earn her first collegiate victory.

The win was also the first career coaching victory for EC Head Coach Rob Spofford.

The Saints will return to action tomorrow when they face Bay Path College at 9:30 am while will take on Hilbert College tomorrow at the same time.