WORCESTER -- Top-seeded and No. 12 WPI defeated No. 7 Coast Guard, 4-2, in an elimination game of the NEWMAC Softball Tournament on Saturday morning at Rooftop Field. The Engineers improve to 40-3 and advance to the championship round, while the Bears conclude their season at 19-18.
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WPI used a two-run sixth inning to break a tie game, while
Abby Merchant (Rancho Cucamonga, CA) delivered a complete-game performance in the circle to secure the win.
Lucy Latour (North Dighton, MA) scored twice and drove in a run, while
Sandy Fairbairn (Norton, MA) went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
Meg Sherwood (Norfolk, MA) and
Liz Jordan (Yardley, PA) each scored a run, and
Ali Chalovich (Pittsburgh, PA) added a hit.
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Merchant improved to 24-0 on the season, allowing two runs, one earned, on six hits while striking out seven.
Dana Walker (Macon, GA) took the loss for Coast Guard despite allowing just one earned run over six innings.
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Coast Guard struck first in the opening inning, capitalizing on a WPI error to take a 1-0 lead. The Engineers answered in the fourth, scoring twice on a throwing error that brought home Latour and Sherwood to give WPI a 2-1 advantage.
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The Bears evened the score in the sixth on an RBI double from
Bridget Bartz (Arlington, VA), but WPI responded immediately in the bottom half. Latour delivered an RBI single to plate Jordan, and Fairbairn followed with an RBI double to extend the lead to 4-2.
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Merchant closed out the game in the seventh to send WPI into the title round.
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WPI advances to face second-seeded MIT later Saturday for the NEWMAC Championship. With one loss in the double-elimination format, the Engineers will need to defeat MIT twice to claim the title.
