Clermont, FL --- The WPI softball team used a balanced offensive attack and sophomore Clare Doolin (Newton, MA) hurled three scoreless innings of relief as the Engineers delivered head coach Whitney Goldstein her first victory at the school in a 8-5 triumph over Anna Maria in the season opener in Florida on Sunday afternoon. The Crimson and Gray completed the day with a tough 5-3 setback to St. Lawrence.
All nine offensive starters collected at least one hit against the AMCATS while Doolin fanned six in picking up the win in the circle.
Nicole McDonough (Abington, MA) got a four-run bottom of the first started for WPI with an RBI triple.
Jacquelyne DiTroia (Andover, MA), Juliana Fekete (Belgrade, ME), Lauren DiFelice (Acushnet, MA) all singled and scored in the inning to make it 4-1 WPI after one full.
Kristin Gallagher (Coventry, RI) had the Engineers' only hit as they tacked on three more runs in the sixth, benefiting from a pair of errors by the AMCATS. DiTroia had the inning's only RBI, bringing home Chiana Montesi (Columbia, CT) on a sacrifice fly. Gallagher and Fekete both scored later on off of fielding errors.
WPI added its only other run in the third inning as Ali LaRue (South Glens Falls, NY) singled home Julia Ring (Leominster, MA) from second base, making it 5-4 to the Engineers at the time.
Anna Maria's Samantha Miller (Dudley, MA) went 3 for 4 with hits in all three run-scoring innings for the AMCATS. Miller's RBI single capped a 3-run second inning that drew it back to 4-4 at the time. She later smacked a leadoff double in the fifth, scoring to tie it again at 5-5.
Caroline Medino (Pompton Lakes, NJ) went the first four innings on the mound for WPI.
Doolin made it a total of 10 innings on the day, going all seven innings in a close 5-3 loss to St. Lawrence that dropped the Engineers to 1-1 after Day 1 of the season.
Fekete remained hot at the plate during the nightcap, going 2 for 3 and playing a role in both run-scoring innings. She singled and scored the tying run in the bottom of the third as WPI made it 2-2. She later added an RBI double in the fourth after the Engineers fell behind, 5-2, in the top half of the inning.
DiFelice and LaRue both had run-scoring hits in the third inning. DiTroia scored the opening run in the third, while Gallagher crossed the plate in the fourth inning.
Kylie Plimpton (Buffalo, NY) struck out 12 in a complete game victory for St. Lawrence, while Aisha O'Connor (Pembroke, Ontario) had the winning hit, a two run double to left field that completed the Saints' scoring.
WPI is back on the diamond Monday morning in Clermont, taking on Sage at 9am and Mount Ida at 11am.
Release by Carl Setterlund - WPI Athletics Intern - Emerson '14
