Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 FORT MYERS, Fla.--The Smith College softball team ended their trip to the Gene Cusic Classic with a pair of losses.  The Pioneers fell to the University of New England 5-2, and to the University of Wisconsin-Superior 3-0.  Smith now sports a record of 4-4.

University of New England


The Nor'easters scored three times in the top of the seventh inning to break a 2-2 tie.  UNE scored first when Erin Grover tripled and scored on Amanda Vaudreuil's sacrifice bunt in the top of the third inning.  Smith answered in the bottom half when Caroline Kushner (Cheshire, Conn./Cheshire) ripped a leadoff double, and took third on Tessa Clark (Calais, Maine/Calais)'s groundout.  Tori Brown (New Market, Md./Linganore) brought Kushner around with a double of her own.

UNE took a 2-1 lead in the next frame when Jess Lemos singled in Amanda Vallante, but Smith would again respond in the bottom of the inning.  Joanna Giordano (South Salem, N.Y./John Jay) reached on an error with no outs, and stole second.  Another error moved her to third, and Brittany Purington (Weare, N.H./John Stark) smacked an RBI single to right that knotted the score at 2-2.

UNE had a chance to take the lead in the fifth inning, putting two runners on with one out, but Gina Martucci (Pompton Plains, N.J./Pequannock Township) got Vaudreuil to ground into a 4-3 double play to get out of danger.  The Nor'easters pushed the winning run across in the top of the seventh.  With two on and two out, Vaudreuil singled in Allie Frazier for the go-ahead run, and an error allowed two more UNE runs to score.

Martucci struck out three, allowing just three earned runs in seven innings of work.  Brown finished with two of Smith's six hits.

Wisconsin-Superior

Smith was limited to just three hits in a 3-0 defeat.  The Yellowjackets scored twice in the first inning when Ashley Martin reached on a bunt single and stole home, and Brittnee Blake scored on a sacrifice fly.

The Pioneers' best chance to strike back was in the top of the second.  Edie Richardson (Franklin, Mass./Fontbonne Academy) reached on an infield single, and took second on Joanna Giordano (South Salem, N.Y./John Jay)'s bunt single.  Purington singled to load the bases with one out, but Kristina Gaffny (Reading, Mass./Austin Prep) and Jennifer Hsieh (Southport, Conn./Ludlowe) struck out to end the inning.

Smith would only get one more baserunner the rest of the way, as UWS starter Amanda Le Bard set down the final 12 batters she faced.  The Yellowjackets added one more run in the third inning on an RBI groundout by Elle Nielmela.

Tori Brown (New Market, Md./Linganore) tossed a complete game for the Pioneers, striking out three in six innings, with just one of the runs she allowed being earned.  

Smith will return to New England, with a NEWMAC doubleheader against the United States Coast Guard Academy on Sunday, March 24 at 1 p.m.  The game has been moved to the Coast Guard campus in New London, Conn., due to unplayable field conditions at Smith.  The Pioneers will bat as the home team.