Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2
CAPE CORAL, Fla. –
Joanna Giordano (South Salem, N.Y./John Jay) and
Caroline Kushner (Cheshire, Conn./Cheshire) each recorded five hits while
Gina Martucci (Pompton Plains, N.J./Pequannock Township) did not allow an earned run in 8 1/3 as the Smith College softball team opened the 2013-14 campaign with a sweep of UMass Dartmouth, 5-1, and University of New England, 9-3, on Sunday at the Gene Cusic Classic. It marks the second consecutive year the Pioneers have opened the season with a 2-0 record against regional competition.
Giordano batted 5-for-6 (.833) with three RBI and a run scored while Kushner went 5-for-7 (.714) at the plate with a double, three RBI, three runs scored, a walk and two stolen bases.
Allison Snyder (Succasunna, N.J./Roxbury) and
Edie Richardson (Franklin, Mass./Fontbonne Academy) each went 3-for-8 with a double and three runs scored. Snyder also recorded the first triple of the campaign.
Tori Brown (New Market, Md./Linganore) had a pair of hits on the day as
Brittney Blokker (Seattle, Wash./Ballard) and Sarah Tulley each had one. Ruchardson added four RBI and Blokker helped three Pioneers cross home plate.
In the circle, Martucci yielded one run – zero earned – in 8 1/3 with 10 strikeouts and went the distance in the opener against UMass Dartmouth.
Natalie Burchat (Shrewsbury, Mass./Shrewsbury) was touched up for three runs on eight hits over 5 2/3 with seven strikeouts against University of New England.
UMass Dartmouth
The Pioneers scored all five runs they needed in the bottom of the first. Richardson drove in the initial two runs of the season with a double. Kushner followed with a single to plate Brown. Richardson and Kushner each crossed home plate on infield ground outs by Blokker and Giordano.
The Corsairs (0-3) plated an unearned run in the top of the second as the leadoff batter reached on an outfield miscue and eventually scored on a run-producing ground out.
University of New England
The Nor'easters (1-3) used three consecutive hits to take a 1-0 lead after one. Smith took a 3-1 advantage in the bottom of the fourth as Brown singled in Richardson and Giordano plated Blokker and Martucci.
Snyder tripled to open the fifth and scored on a Richardson single. After Richardson and Kushner executed a double steal, the duo touched home plate courtesy of a Blokker single.
UNE pushed a pair of runners across in the top of the sixth on courtesy of an RBI ground out and a run-producing single. The Pioneers added the final three runs of the day following a two-RBI single by Kushner and an infield miscue put into play by Richardson.
Smith heads to Fort Myers, Fla. on Monday to take on Clarkson at 9:00 a.m.
