Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Cambridge, MA --- Third-seeded WPI walked off with a win against sixth-seeded Babson, 5-4, and used a four-run fifth inning to top second-seeded MIT on the first day of the 2015 NEWMAC Softball Championship at Briggs Field. Kelsey Saucier (Worcester, MA) drove in the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning of game one and Katie Bumila (Raynham, MA) sparked the late outburst by the Crimson and Gray in game two.
The tournament now shifts to top-seeded Wheaton on Saturday. WPI (29-7) will face fifth-seeded Wellesley in the winners bracket at 2pm while MIT (26-7) draws fourth-seeded Springfield at 10am and Babson (23-17) faces Wheaton at noon.
WPI 5, Babson 4
After seeing a 4-0 late-inning advantage evaporate, WPI took advantage of an error and a hit-by-pitch to put runners on first and second with one out. After a fielder's choice was recorded for the inning's second out, Saucier ripped a single to left field to send home Hope Shevchuk (Burlington, CT) with the winning run.
WPI used small ball in the first inning, scoring two runs with the ball only leaving the infield once. Nina Murphy-Cook (Roseville, CA) got things started by reaching on an error and promptly stealing second. Ama Biney (Worcester, MA) followed with an bunt single to the pitcher that advanced Murphy-Cook to third and then stole second herself. Kristin Gallagher (Coventry, RI) chased home Murphy-Cook with a sacrifice fly and Biney, who had moved to third on the play, scored on a Bumila fielder's choice RBI.
The Engineers extended its lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the third when Shevchuk laced a single to center field to plate Bumila with two outs. An inning later the Crimson and Gray got going with two outs and no one on, perfectly executing a double steal that saw Murphy-Cook swipe home and Biney claim second.
Babson began its comeback in the top of the sixth inning. Three consecutive singles by Leslie Moore (Atkinson, NH), Meaghan Merullo (Winchester, MA) and Emily Morris (Wolcott, CT) loaded the bases, which led to RBI walks by Meghan Hayes (Robinsville, NH) and Madison Dinaso (Ardsley, NY) sandwiched around a bases loaded hit-by-pitch from Maya Lacy (East Mill Creek, UT). Trailing 4-3 headed to the top of the seventh, the Beavers leveled the game when pinch runner Catherine Pitts (Winchester, MA), who replaced Merullo, who had doubled, scampered home on a two-out run-scoring double off the bat of Samantha Smith (Hillsborough, NJ).
Clare Doolin (Newton, MA) started the game for WPI and tossed five shutout innings before leaving for a relief pitcher to start the sixth. She returned to wiggle out of a bigger jam in the sixth and ended up with the win. Doolin allowed just one run while upping her record to 14-3 on the season. Hayes went the distance in the circle for the Beavers, yielding just three earned runs.
Biney led all players with four hits in the game while Merullo and Smith registered multiple hits for the Babson.
WPI 5, MIT 1
After stranding three consecutive runners on base, WPI eventually drove in the game's initial run in the top of the fourth as sophomore Lindsay Gurska (Revere, MA) smacked a double to left center, driving in Shevchuk, which provided the visitors with a 1-0 advantage. MIT responded in the bottom half of the inning as junior Tori Jensen (Holliston, MA) plated freshman Jasmin Joseph (Woodland Hills, CA) with a sac-fly to centerfield. Senior Ellie Fodor (Trenton, MI) attempted to extend the inning, but lined out to centerfield.
In the top of the fifth, WPI pushed ahead for good as Bumila, junior Jacquelyne DiTroia (Andover, MA), Murphy-Cook and Biney each crossed home plate for a four run inning. Bumila initiated the offensive outburst with a one-out single to right field, which scored Murphy-Cook and DiTroia. Three batters later, Gurska drove in the final two runs as Biney raced home from third, while Bumila came in from second.
MIT attempted to respond in the bottom half of the fifth, however, Saucier forced senior Karly McLaughlin (Edwardsville, IL) to fly out to right field, sophomore Ali Trueworthy (Rochester, NH) to pop out to second base and freshman Zoe Hinton (Aurora, CO) to ground out to third. Junior Alexandra Marshall (Glen Head, NY) kept WPI's offense at bay in the top of the sixth, yielding one hit, while stranding one runner, but the MIT offense struggled to send sophomore Monica Shifflet (Poway, CA) home in the bottom half of the frame.
Bumila started the top of the seventh with a double to right center, but Marshall kept her opponent on the base path as she forced the next three batters to go down in order. Saucier sealed the victory in the bottom of the seventh with three consecutive strikeouts.
WPI concluded the game with nine hits, while Joseph, freshman Amanda Lee (Saratoga, CA) and Monica Shifflet each registered one hit. Saucier improved to 7-2 in the circle and recorded six strikeouts. Fodor, who started the game, fell to 15-4 overall and allowed five runs (two earned) on six hits with seven strikeouts. Marshall pitched two-and-two-third innings and recorded a pair of strikeouts.
Game Two Recap Courtesy MIT Sports Information
