LEESBURG, Fla. – The Wentworth Institute of Technology softball team finished out its spring break trip with an 11-8 victory over Augsburg University Saturday afternoon.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Wentworth Batting Leaders: Kaitlin Pettenger (2-for-4, 2 RBI, 1R), Briana Beverly (1-for-3, 3B, 2 RBI, 2R)
Wentworth Pitching Leaders: Erin Hancock ((W, 3-1), 3 IP, 1 ER, 3H, 3K)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• After getting a leadoff double and putting runners on second and third with one out, the Auggies pushed a run across on a fielder's choice to take the early lead. The Leopards came back with a pair in the bottom of the inning, however, as Wentworth loaded the bases with one out. Senior Sabrina Haarstick (Bellingham, Mass.) and junior Erin Hancock (Holden, Mass.) then went on to draw back-to-back walks, forcing in two runs and putting the Leopards ahead 2-1 heading into the second.
• After Hancock put Augsburg down in order, the Leopards extended their lead in the bottom of the second. With runners again on second and third, an error by the Auggies put another run on the board for Wentworth. Later in the inning, with two runners on, senior Alexandra Pina (Cumberland, R.I.) shot a double to right-center, plating two more runs to put Wentworth ahead 5-1. The Leopards kept up the offense in the third, loading the bases with nobody out. Junior Kaitlin Pettenger (Budd Lake, N.J.) stepped to the plate and drove in two more runs with a single to left, extending the lead to 7-1 after three.
• Augsburg got a run back in the top of the fourth, getting four straight batters on base after starting the inning with two out and nobody on. After a single and error, Kayla Hanson (St. James, Minn.) singled to centerfield to bring in the second run of the day for the Auggies. But the Leopards continued to pour on the offense, getting two more in the bottom of the fourth. They first put runners on second and third, then got a sacrifice fly from senior Ceilidh Higgins (Medway, Mass.). Junior Julia Hutchinson (North Billerica, Mass.) then hit a single to left, and graduate student Kayla DeMedeiros (South Dartmouth, Mass.) came around to score following an error to give the Leopards a 9-2 advantage.
• After putting one run up in the top of the fifth and getting Wentworth to leave the bases loaded in the bottom of the inning, Augsburg exploded for five runs in the sixth to pull within a run. After a single and error put runners on the corners, an RBI single brought home the first run of the inning. The Auggies' Meredith Taylor (Randolph, Minn.) then stepped up to bat, and crushed a three-run homer to left field to pull Augsburg within two with one swing of the bat. A double and another single followed, bringing another run in and making it a 9-8 game going into the bottom of the sixth.
• After getting the first two runners on, the Leopards got set down in the next two at-bats. Senior Briana Beverly (Pawcatuck, Conn.) then stepped in and ripped a two-run triple to right-center, driving in the 10^th and 11^th runs of the day for Wentworth and creating a three-run cushion.
• Freshman Jess Rowe (Yardley, Pa.) was in the circle for the seventh, and allowed a two-out single in the final inning, but was able to close it out with a groundout as Wentworth picked up an 11-8 victory to improve to 7-1 on the season.

ALL-TIME SERIES:

• This was the first time the two teams have met, with Wentworth holding a 1-0 lead in the series.

NEXT UP:

• After a week off, the Leopards return to the field Sunday, March 20, when they travel to Emerson College for a doubleheader that gets underway at 2:00 p.m.

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