Softball Settles for Split with Wentworth; Walks Off GM 1 in Extras, 6-5

THE BASICS 

Score: 
GM1 - Emmanuel College, 6 - Wentworth Inst. of Tech., 5 (8 inn.)
GM 2 – Wentworth Inst. of Tech., 4 - Emmanuel College, 2

Records: 
Emmanuel Saints (2-8, 0-0 GNAC)
Wentworth Leopards (8-4, 0-0 CCC)

Location: Boston, Mass. – Roberto Clemente Field

Date: Saturday, March 26, 2022

THE LEAD – Sophomore shortstop Olivia Conti (Cranston, R.I.) went 4-for-4 with a home run to lift Emmanuel past Wentworth, 6-5 in eight innings, Saturday afternoon in Game 1 of a non-conference softball twinbill at Roberto Clemente Field. The Leopards rebounded and took Game 2 by a 4-2 final to secure the split.

HOW IT HAPPENED (GM 1)

• After three scoreless frames, WIT opened the scoring with a four-run fourth powered by a monster two-run blast by senior Aurora Wilks (Fruitport, Mich.) followed by a solo homer from junior shortstop Julia Bollentin (South Kingston, R.I.) to make it 4-0 midway through the action.
• EC was quiet until the sixth when Conti belted a three-run bomb to left centerfield to cut the deficit to one at 4-3 heading into the seventh inning.
• Senior pitcher Tianna Dawe (Peabody, Mass.) helped her own cause with a solo moonshot to left field to tie the game at 4-4, sending it to extra innings in the Saints home-opener.
• The Leopards played a little small ball in the top of the eighth, pushing a run across without registering a hit as senior Alexandra Pina (Cumberland, R.I.) temporarily gave WIT the lead at 5-4 scoring on a wild pitch.
• EC answered with back-to-back hits to open their half of the eighth on singles by senior third baseman Renae Lacroix (Cumberland, R.I.) followed by an RBI single from Conti to tie the game at 5-5. Up next, senior second baseman Kiana Hinson (Whittier, Calif.) put the ball in play for an RBI fielder's choice to push across the game-winning run in Lacroix to secure the 6-5 walk-off win.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS (GM 1)

• Conti finished a triple shy of the cycle, going 4-for-4 with four RBI and a run scored while both Lacroix and junior centerfield Julyanne Pacheco (Somerset, Mass.) finished the game at 2-for-4 with two runs scored. The trio combined for eight of the nine EC hits in the win.
• Dawe earned her first victory in the circle, throwing eight innings and allowing the five runs (three earned) on seven hits while striking out three.
• WIT starting pitcher Erin Hancock (Holden, Mass.) did not factor into the decision despite pitching seven strong innings, allowing four earned runs on seven hits to go along with six K's. First year Jess Rowe (Yardley, Pa.) suffered her first collegiate loss, not recording an out in relief in the eight to fall to 3-1 on the year.
• Senior catcher Briana Beverly (Pawcatuck, Conn.) paced the Leopards offensive showing with a 3-for-4 performance.

HOW IT HAPPENED (GM 2)

• Emmanuel snagged a 1-0 lead in the third on an RBI single to center by Pacheco, plating junior outfielder Jadynne Hill (Haverhill, Mass.) to open Game 2's scoring.
• After being held scoreless through the first four frames, the Leopards exploded for four runs in the fifth which proved to be enough for the win. Sophomore Annabelle Hebard (North Attleboro, Mass.) tied the game at 1-1 with an RBI single to center and WIT took the lead on an RBI single to right by first year Kayla Richard (High Point, N.C.). Pina drove in the eventual game-winning run on a fielder's choice where first year Katelin Howe (Bow, N.H.) beat the EC throw to the plate with the bases loaded to make it 3-1. Wilks added an insurance run with a sac-fly to right to account for the final damage in the frame, moving the score to 4-1.
• EC got one back in the bottom of the fifth with the help of a WIT miscue as first year Abigail Farr (Windsor Locks, Conn.) plated her first collegiate run to cut into the deficit at 4-2. The Saints had the tying runs in scoring position with just one out later in the inning but Rowe was able to induce two putouts to retire the side with the two-run lead.
• The Saints managed to get the tying run to the plate in the sixth with a leadoff single by Hinson but could not get anything going as Rowe and the Leopards stifled the middle part of the EC lineup to preserve the 4-2 lead, eventually closing out the Saints for the road win.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS (GM 2)

• Rowe bounced back for a solid start to earn the win and improve to 4-1 on the year, scattering five hits over seven innings and allowing just the two runs (one earned).
• EC first year Brenna Whittaker (Cranston, R.I.) threw well in her first collegiate start at Clemente, surrendering the four runs on eight hits over seven innings.
• The 7-8-9 hitters in the WIT lineup combined for six hits as Hebard, Richard and Katelin Howe (Bow, N.H.) all went 2-for-3 in the win.
• Along with her first run scored, Farr also collected her first collegiate hit for the Saints.

UP NEXT

• EC returns to action on Wednesday, April 30 for their GNAC opener against Simmons University in a key showdown between the Preseason No. 1 and No. 2 ranked teams in the GNAC North Division. The first game of the doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 5:00 PM at Daly Field in Brighton, Mass.
• WIT has a quick turnaround and returns to the diamond tomorrow against Regis College for a twinbill in Weston, Mass. starting at 12:00 PM.