WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The last day in Florida for the Wentworth Institute of Technology softball team (8-2) concluded on a high note, as the Black & Gold held on to defeat Dominican (11-2) 7-5 before outscoring Rutgers-Camden (0-3) 6-2 in game two.
Senior Kaitlin Pettenger (Budd Lakes, N.J.) not only helped guide Wentworth's offense throughout the day but also reached the 100th career-hit milestone in the first game of the morning, becoming the tenth student-athlete in program history to reach the mark.
GAME ONE: WENTWORTH 7, DOMINICAN 5
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- From the get-go, the Leopards loaded the bases in the first inning. Pettenger was brought home from the next at bat, freshman Kyla Igawa (Long Beach, Calif.), who racked up a RBI to put Wentworth ahead 1-0. Shortly after, a sacrifice fly from sophomore Katie Kranz (Bedford, Mass.) brought in graduate student Alexandra Pina (Cumberland, R.I.) and extended the Leopards' advantage to two.
- Two innings later, senior Erin Hancock (Holden, Mass.) blasted a home run with two runners on base, boosting the Leopards' lead to 5-0 in the third inning.
- After a score for the Stars in the fourth inning, Pettenger's smashed her 100th career hit to centerfield in the sixth inning, putting herself on second base while bringing in Hancock to mark a 6-1 score.
- In the latter portion of the sixth inning, Dominican began to push back, being productive with runners on base and bringing in four scores to cut the deficit to one at 6-5 with one more inning to work with.
- In the top of the seventh inning, a single by Igawa brought in a score by Pina to bring Wentworth's advantage to two in a 7-5 score. The Black & Gold shut down Dominican in the second half of the inning, as Hancock completed her game on the mound with five total strikeouts.
- Offensively, Pettenger reached the career century mark going 2-4 at the plate with a RBI. Hancock went 2-4 as well, accounting for 3 RBI and a home run. Kranz and Igawa also notched a RBI in the win.
SERIES NOTES:
- Today marked the first-ever meeting between the two teams.
GAME TWO: WENTWORTH 6, RUTGERS-CAMDEN 2
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- In the bottom of the first inning, with Igawa and graduate student Briana Beverly (Pawcatuck, Conn.) on base, sophomore Jess Rowe (Yardley, Pa.) reached first on an error, bringing in Beverly to score and put the Black & Gold ahead 1-0.
- With a runner on base in the second inning, Rutgers-Camden struck a single to right field, running in a score to knot the ballgame at one apiece.
- In the latter portion of the inning, a walk with the bases loaded brought home sophomore Kayla Richard (High Point, N.C.) to put the Leopards ahead 2-1. Shortly after, a hit by Igawa brought in freshman Julie Schriver (Moscow, Pa.), extending the Leopards' lead to 3-1.
- Rutgers-Camden notched another score in the top of the third inning just before Wentworth exploded for three runs in the bottom, as a walk brought in junior Annabelle Hebard (North Attleboro, Mass.) before a Beverly single brought home Richard once more, extending Wentworth's lead to 6-2, which would turn out to be the final outcome.
- Beverly led the bats for the second game of the day, going 2-4 at the plate with 2 RBI. On the mound, Shriver pitched five innings and struck out two.
SERIES NOTES:
- Today's meeting was the first ever between the two teams.
NEXT UP:
- Wentworth hosts Brandeis in a doubleheader next Saturday, March 18.
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