Softball Splits Doubleheader With Emmanuel

BOSTON, Mass –The Wentworth Institute of Technology softball team went 1-1 Saturday afternoon, falling 6-5 in eight innings in game one, then rebounding with a 4-2 win in their second game of the day.

GAME ONE: Emmanuel 6, Wentworth 5 (8 innings)

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Wentworth Batting Leaders: Aurora Wilks (1-for-3, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1R) Briana Beverly (3-for-4, 1 RBI)
Wentworth Pitching Leaders: Erin Hancock (7 IP, 4 ER, 7H, 6K)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• After the Leopards were set down in order in the top of the first, the Saints put two runners on following a pair of singles. After both runners advanced on steals, Emmanuel had two runners in scoring position with only one out. But junior Erin Hancock (Holden, Mass.) was able to work out of danger, getting back-to-back called strikeouts to keep the Saints off the board.
• It then became a pitchers duel, as Hancock and Tianna Dawe (Lynn, Mass.) were perfect throughout the next two innings. Neither pitcher allowed single baserunner, as the teams played into the fourth still deadlocked in a scoreless tie.
• The Leopards opened it up offensively in the fourth, however, as junior Kaitlin Pettenger (Budd Lake, N.J.) reached base and stole second shortly after. She came around to score on an RBI double by senior Briana Beverly (Pawcatuck, Conn.) to plate the first run of the day. After a fielder's choice put one runner on with one out, senior Aurora Wilks (Fruitport, Mich.) stepped to the plate and crushed a two-run homer to left field, giving Wentworth a 3-0 lead in the process. Next up to bat was junior Julia Bollentin (South Kingstown, R.I.), who took Dawe deep to left-center as the Leopards went back-to-back and extended their lead to four.
• The Saints picked up a leadoff double to start the bottom of the fourth, but Hancock again worked out of trouble, setting down the next three batters in order to strand another runner on the basepaths. Wentworth look to extend its lead in the top of the fifth, and had runners on first and second after starting the inning with two out and nobody on. They couldn't push a run across, however, as Dawe picked up a groundout to end the inning.
• After neither team was able to get a run across in their next turn at bat, the Saints got back in the game in the bottom of the sixth. After a pair of singles to start of the inning, Olivia Conti (Cranston, R.I.) hit a three-run homer to left, getting Emmanuel within a run at 4-3.
• The Leopards got a two-out single in the top of the seventh, but could not get a run across as they tried to hold their one-run lead. With one out in the last of the seventh, Dawe came to the plate and hit a solo shot to left field, tying the game at four and sending it to extra innings.
• Wentworth took the lead in the top of the eighth, as senior Alexandra Pina (Cumberland, R.I.) got to third and came in to score on a wild pitch.
• After a single put two runners on in the bottom of the eighth, Conti picked up an RBI single to tie the game and put runners on the corners with nobody out. A fielder's choice pushed the winning run across, as Emmanuel came back from a 4-0 deficit to win 6-5 in extra innings.

                                                 GAME TWO: Wentworth 4, Emmanuel 2

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Wentworth Batting Leaders: Annebelle Hebard (2-for-3, 1 RBI, 1R), Kayla Richard (2-for-3, 1 RBI)
Wentworth Pitching Leaders: Jess Rowe ((W, 4-1), 7 IP, 1 ER, 5H, 3K)

• The pitchers were in control to start game two as well, as the team combined for just one hit through the first two innings of play. The Leopards went down 1-2-3 in the first, and Conti had a two-out single for the Saints in the bottom of the inning. Freshman Jess Rowe (Yardley, Pa.) drew a two-out walk for Wentworth in the second, but the Leopards couldn't take advantage.
• After Emmanuel went down in order in the second, Wentworth put two runners on in the third. Freshmen Kayla Richard (High Point, N.C.) and Katelin Howe (Bow, N.H.) led off the inning with a pair of singles, but a line drive was caught and turned into a double play, and a groundout followed to end the scoring threat.
• The Saints took the lead in the bottom of the third, getting walk and stolen base with one out in the inning. Julyanne Pacheco (Somerset, Mass.) then drove in the game's first run with an RBI single to center field, putting the Saints ahead 1-0 going into the fourth.
• After both teams went down in order in their next turns, the Leopards came through on the offensive side in the fifth. Rowe led the inning off with a double and advanced to third on a wild pitch, then came in to score on an RBI single by sophomore Annabelle Hebard (North Attleboro, Mass.) to tie the game. Richard then gave the Leopards their first lead of the day with an RBI hit of her own, putting the visitors ahead 2-1. Pina extended the lead to two with an RBI groundout, and a sacrifice fly from Wilks with one out plated the fourth and final Wentworth run of the inning.
• The Saints got one back in the last of the fifth though, getting a pair of one out singles and getting a run across on a Wentworth error. Rowe was able to limit the damage to just one run on the mound, retiring the next two batters to keep it a 4-2 game.
• The Leopards got just one runner on in their half of the sixth, leaving it at a two-run advantage. Emmanuel got the leadoff runner on in the sixth and got her into scoring position with one out, but Rowe set down the next two batters to end the inning. After the Leopards were unable to add to their lead in the seventh, Rowe shut the door in the seventh, retiring the Saints in order to preserve the 4-2 victory for Wentworth.

ALL-TIME SERIES:

• The teams met for the 23^rd and 24^th time today, with Emmanuel holding a 19-5 lead in the series.

NEXT UP:

• The Leopards are on the road Sunday, March 27 at Regis College, with a doubleheader at 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.

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