SKEY HOMERS TO LIFT SOFTBALL OVER WENTWORTH, 4-1

BOSTON, Mass. – Freshman designated player Ashley Skey (Brookline, N.H.) belted a go-ahead three-run homer to break a 1-1 tie and lift the Emmanuel College softball team past Wentworth Institute of Technology, 4-1, in a five inning contest Thursday evening at Roberto Clemente Field. The game was called after five innings due to inclement weather conditions while the second game of the scheduled doubleheader was postponed. The Saints improve to 7-4 on the year while the loss drops the Leopards to 4-7 overall.

With the score deadlocked at 1-1, senior shortstop Catherine Davis (Wethersfield, Conn.) lead off the fifth inning with a walk and advanced into scoring position on a single up the middle by freshman left fielder Megan Kieselback (Wethersfield, Conn.) With one out, Skey crushed a fastball into the wind to deep centerfield. Wentworth sophomore centerfielder Vanessa Weymouth (Fremont, N.H.) made a valiant effort to rob Skey of the home run, getting her glove on the ball but it was hit just enough to carry over the fence to put the Saints on top, 4-1.

Both teams had chances to open up an early lead as the Saints stranded the bases loaded in the bottom of the first before the Leopards returned the favor in the top of the second, leaving the bags juiced.

Emmanuel opened the scoring in the second inning to take a 1-0 lead on an RBI triple down the right field line by Davis. Sophomore third baseman Abbey Alexiades (Kingston, Mass.) led off the inning with base on balls and would come around to score on the triple.

Wentworth responded with a run in the third to even the score at 1-1, also taking advantage of a base on balls. Senior left fielder Heather Pinkston (Concord, Calif.) drew the walk to start the frame, advance to second on a passed ball, moved over to third on a wild pitch, and came around to score on another wild pitch. During the frame, the Leopards collected their only hit of the game on a single to centerfield by freshman designated player Kathleen Dunn (Hull, Mass.).

Despite some control issues, EC junior pitcher Jill Kilcoyne (Worcester, Mass.) was dominant in her outing, allowing one run on one hit while striking out 10 to earn the win and improve to 3-4 on the year. WIT freshman pitcher Erica Norquist (Rutland, Mass.) took the loss in relief allowing three runs on five hits while striking out two over 3 and 2/3 innings pitched.

Emmanuel returns to action on Saturday, March 26 when they travel across town to face UMass Boston at 1:00 PM for a non-conference twinbill while Wentworth is idle until Wednesday, March 30 when they host Simmons College for a doubleheader starting at 3:30 PM.