BOSTON, Mass. – The Wentworth Institute of Technology softball team split with Curry College and earned its first win against the Colonels since 2003 in CCC action Wednesday afternoon at Carr Diamond.
The Leopards improve to 10-17 overall and 4-9 in league play, which marks the most wins in conference since the 2010 season. The Colonels earned their second win in conference this season and move to 2-12 against league opponents, while shifting to 12-21 overall.
Game One – Wentworth 9, Curry 2
Despite Curry plating the opening run on an RBI single from Kiana Lloyd, Wentworth plated two runs in the second inning to steal the lead, starting with a leadoff double from Brionna Myers (Seabrook, N.H.). Freshman Brianna Beverly (Pawcatuck, Conn.) followed with a base hit to left, putting runners on first and third, later advancing after a worked walk from junior Rylee Rehders (Moreno Valley, Calif.). An infield error scored Myers on the next play, before Beverly rounded home for the 2-1 lead on a misthrow by the Curry infield.
In their next at-bat, Curry's Caroline Johnson swung into an RBI single scoring Jocelyn Dimond on the play, who earlier laid down a textbook bunt to reach base, deadlocking the score 2-2. The tie wouldn't last for long, as yet another double from Myers set the Leopards in scoring position for Beverly, who reached base on a dropped fly ball, scoring Myers.
Sophomore pitcher Kayla DeMedeiros (South Dartmouth, Mass.) wouldn't allow a single hit from the Colonels over the next two innings, before Wentworth exploded for four runs in the bottom of the fifth, all with two outs down. Myers, who knocked her third double in the game, and freshman Sabrina Haarstick knocked in two of the four runs.
Myers went a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate, hitting for extra bases in all of her at-bats, as her three doubles in a single game ranks second all-time in the Wentworth softball record books. Junior Deanna DiPilato (Worcester, Mass.) also knocked a double in the winning effort, while freshman Katie Verreault (Scarborough, Maine), DeMedeiros (2), Beverly, and Haarstick (2) all connected at the plate for WIT.
DeMedeiros earned the win in the circle, her fifth of the season, striking out two batters with two earned runs. Taylor Newcomb pitched a complete game with one strikeout, while just two of Curry's nine runs against were earned.
Game Two – Curry 6, Wentworth 5
The Colonels came back to seal the nightcap after being down 4-3 after the third inning, as DiPilato broke a 3-3 tie with a groundout to first. Freshman Aurora Wilks (Fruitport, Mich.) and Carrigan Costello did their jobs in the circle for both teams in a hitless fourth inning, before Wilks retired the Colonels in order in the top of the fifth. Verreault worked a walk for freshman Alexandra Pina (Cumberland, R.I.), who knocked a deep double to right field, advancing to third on the throw to home. Baserunning chaos from the Leopards put the hosts in a double pickle, as the Colonels finally converted on the rundown to catch Verreault at home. On the next play, however, Wentworth plated a run on a Ceilidh Higgins (Medway, Mass.) groundout, as the Leopards led 5-3 through five innings.
Curry came back to score three runs off three hits in the top of the sixth, thanks to an RBI apiece from Alexis Buckner and Liana Duarte. The tying run crossed home on a Wentworth wild pitch, 5-5, before Duarte knocked a base hit to the shortstop, beating the throw to first, for an RBI. The Leopards left two on base in the sixth, and went down in order in the seventh, giving Curry the 6-5 final.
Pina followed Myers' lead in game two, and went 2-for-2, both doubles, while scoring two runs. DeMedeiros knocked in another pair of runs and went 1-for-3 with a run scored, joining Verreault, Myers, and Beverly in the hits column for Wentworth.
Wilks fanned three batters and drops to 2-6 in the circle after pitching 5.2 innings. DeMedeiros pitched 1.1 innings of relief.
Curry's Costello improves to 7-9 this season, striking out a season-high eight batters with four earned runs.
Wentworth steps out of conference next Thursday for a 3:30 p.m. contest at Mass. Maritime.
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