DeMedeiros and Rowe Combine For No-Hitter as Softball Takes Pair Against Fisher

BOSTON, Mass –The Wentworth Institute of Technology softball team picked up two more victories Tuesday, April 12. The Leopards defeated Fisher College 29-1 in game one of their doubleheader, then took game two over the Falcons 20-0.

GAME ONE: Wentworth 29, Fisher 1

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Wentworth Batting Leaders: Jess Rowe (3-for-5, 2 2B, 5 RBI, 3R), Kaitlin Pettenger (2-for-5, 1 3B, 4 RBI, 1R)
Wentworth Pitching Leaders: Katie Kranz ((W, 1-0), 3 IP, 1 ER, 1H, K)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• After Erin Hancock (Holden, Mass.) struck out the side in the first, the Leopards took the lead in the bottom of the inning. The first two batters were retired, but a hit-by-pitch and steal by senior Alexandra Pina (Cumberland, R.I.) put her in scoring position, and she came around to score on an error. Two batters later, freshman Jess Rowe (Yardley, Pa.) doubled to right-center, bringing in another run. A wild pitch allowed senior Ceilidh Higgins (Medway, Mass.) to come in, and Hancock then helped herself out at the plate with an RBI single to plate another run, giving Wentworth a 4-0 lead after one.
• Fisher was put down in order again in the second, and the Leopards added seven more runs in the second. Pina got the scoring started with an RBI hit, then came around to score along with senior Briana Beverly (Pawcatuck, Conn.) on a two-run single from Higgins, making it 7-0. After Rowe reached base, Hancock blasted a triple to right-center, scoring two more runs. She came in to score during the next at-bat, then junior Julia Hutchinson (North Billerica, Mass.) came in on a wild pitch to extend the lead to 11 after two innings.
• The Falcons were again shut down in the third, as freshman Katie Kranz (Bedford, Mass.) put them down without surrendering a hit. The Leopards exploded offensively in the bottom half of the inning, putting up another 14 runs. Beverly got the scoring started by coming in on a wild pitch, and added an RBI single in her second at-bat in the inning. Jess Rowe had two RBI in the inning, with a single and RBI groundout in her two plate appearances. Hutchinson had an RBI double and RBI single in her turns at the plate, and junior Kaitlin Pettenger (Budd Lake, N.J.) brought in a trio of runs with a three-run triple. The inning gave Wentworth a 25-0 lead going into the fourth.
• A walk and hit-by-pitch gave Fisher two baserunners in the fourth, and a single then loaded the bases. They were able to draw a two-out walk to force in a run, but Kranz then struck out the next batter to leave three runners stranded in the inning.
• A pair of walks started off the latter half of the fourth for the home team, and a single by freshman Kayla Richard (High Point, N.C.) loaded the bases with nobody out. A Higgins walk brought in one run, then Rowe ripped a two-run double to right-center to make it a 28-1 score. A fielding error on the Falcons allowed the last run of the inning to score for Wentworth, who took a 29-1 advantage following a four-run fourth.
• A pair of singles helped Fisher again load the bases in the fifth, but Kranz was again able to work through it, getting a groundout the close out the fifth and end the first game of the afternoon.
• The Leopards broke two team records in the first game, as Wentworth set the all-time  record for runs scored in a game (29) and RBI in a game (23).

GAME TWO: Wentworth 20, Fisher 0

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Wentworth Batting Leaders: Kaitlin Pettenger (3-for-4, 1 RBI, 3R), Briana Beverly (2-for-3, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 2R)
Wentworth Pitching Leaders: Kayla DeMedeiros 2 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 3K), Jess Rowe ((W, 5-2), 3 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 5K)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Leopards picked up where they left off to start game two, scoring 12 times in the bottom of the first after Fisher was set aside to start the game. Pettenger reached base and then stole second and third. Beverly drew a walk and Pettenger came in on a wild pitch to start the scoring. With the bases loaded, Higgins picked up a single to score one, and graduate student Kayla DeMedeiros (South Dartmouth, Mass.) reached on a fielder's choice, scoring Pina. Another wild pitch brought in Higgins, then Howe and Pettenger both hit bases-loaded singles to bring in two more. Beverly followed with her second walk of the inning, this one forcing in a run, and an error brought in the ninth run as Howe came home. An RBI groundout by senior Aurora Wilks (Fruitport, Mich.) scored Beverly, and a wild pitch and error scored the last two runs of the inning.
• After DeMedeiros put the visitors down 1-2-3 in the second, a pair of singles by Pettenger and Beverly put runners on the corners. Pina then brought Pettenger in with a sacrifice fly, as the Leopards extended their lead to 13-0 after two.
• The Falcons led off the third with a walk, but with one out, the Leopards turned a double play on a lineout, catching the baserunner before she got back to first. The Leopards scored three more times in the third, all runs coming on errors by Fisher. Rowe scored the first run for the Leopards, while senior Abby Morin (Dudley, Mass.) and senior Sabrina Haarstick (Bellingham, Mass.) both came in on a two-out error, making it a 16 run advantage going into the fourth.
• With Rowe now pitching for Wentworth, the freshman set the Falcons down in order in the fourth, as she and DeMedeiros didn't give up a hit through the first four innings. Hancock doubled with one out in the fourth and came in on an error. Another error with the bases loaded brought in one more, and after one more run came in, Beverly drove in the final run of the day with a double down the right field line, give Wentworth a 20-run lead.
• A pair of walks and a hit-by-pitch put Rowe in some trouble in the ninth, as the bases were loaded with two out. But she rebounded to strike out the final batter looking, ending the game and preserving the combined no-hitter, the fourth no-hitter in program history.

ALL-TIME SERIES:

• These were the 3^rd and 4^th games the two teams have played against one another, with the series now tied 2-2.

NEXT UP:

• The Leopards resume conference play Friday, April 15, when they travel to Newport, R.I. for a doubleheader at Salve Regina University. Game times are 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.

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