Western New England Edges Softball in Pair of Walk-Offs

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – In a pair of neck-and-neck battles that both ended in walk-offs, the Wentworth Institute of Technology softball team (23-7, 9-3 CCC) was edged by the Western New England Golden Bears (21-11, 9-3 CCC) by 5-4 and 7-5 scores in Commonwealth Coast Conference play Saturday afternoon.

 
GAME ONE: WESTERN NEW ENGLAND 5, WENTWORTH 4

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• WNE put a two on the scoreboard in the second inning as a single by junior Kaleigh Blades (Merrimack, N.H.) advanced a base runner to second while bringing home two scores, giving the hosts a 2-0 advantage.
• Wentworth responded in the fourth inning as a single by senior Julia Bollentin (South Kingstown, R.I.) advanced a base runner to second and brought in a score by graduate student Briana Beverly (Pawcatuck, Conn.), marking a 2-1 deficit. Later, a double by senior Erin Hancock with the bases loaded brought home scores by Bollentin and freshman Kyla Igawa (Long Beach, Calif.), giving Wentworth a 3-2 edge. A single by sophomore Katelin Howe (Bow, N.H.) later in the inning brought home a score by sophomore Jess Rowe (Yardley, Pa.), extending the advantage to 4-2.
• In the latter portion of the inning, the Golden Bears knotted the score at four-all as a single by junior Taylor Keegan (Bristol, Conn.) ran in two runs.
• After a scoreless seventh from the Leopards, the Golden Bears notched the winning run on a single by senior Kailey Carrano (West Haven, Conn.), who brought a runner home and gave the hosts a 5-4 win.
• Offensively, three student-athletes registered RBI, while Hancock and graduate student Alexandra Pina (Cumberland, R.I.) notched two hits apiece. In the circle, Hancock struck out three and surrendered ten hits in a complete.

GAME TWO: WESTERN NEW ENGLAND 7, WENTWORTH 5

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• A Pina flyout in the first inning brought home a run by senior Kaitlin Pettenger (Budd Lake, N.J.), giving Wentworth a 1-0 edge. With two runners on base in the second, a Pina double sent Beverly to third and again brought Pettenger home, extending the Leopards' lead to 2-0.
• In the third inning, a single by Bollentin brought home runs by Beverly and Pina, stretching Wentworth's lead to 4-0. Later in the inning, a double by Rowe brought home a score by Bollentin, extending the visitor's lead to 5-0.
• The Golden Bears marched back in the fourth inning as a home run by senior Cori Rizzo (Methuen, Mass.) with the bases loaded cut the host's deficit to just one at a 5-4 score. Later in the inning, an error for the Leopards resulted in a run scored by Keegan, knotting the game at five apiece.
• A home run by Carrano with a runner on base in the bottom of the seventh sealed another walk-off win for the Golden Bears, marking a 7-5 final score.
• Six student-athletes recorded a hit for the Leopards while Pina and Bollentin led with 2 RBI each. In the circle, freshman Julie Schriver (Moscow, Pa.) struck out a batter and surrendered eight hits across just over three innings of action.

NEXT UP:

• The Leopards host Nichols on Monday.

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