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Box Score 2
FORT MYERS, Fla. – Aided by the international tiebreaker,
Allison Snyder (Succasunna, N.J./Roxbury) drove in the go-ahead run with a leadoff double in the top of the eighth as the Smith College softball team defeated Alfred State, 4-1, after handing Wisconsin-Platteville an 8-0 five-inning setback on the final day of the Pioneers spring training tour at the Gene Cusic Classic on Thursday.
Ruth Zimmerman (Edison, N.J./John P. Stevens) represented the winning run as she was placed on second base to begin the extra frame. Smith tacked on a pair of insurance runs as
Edie Richardson (Franklin, Mass./Fontbonne Academy) connected on an RBI double and
Gina Martucci (Pompton Plains, N.J./Pequannock Township) added a run-producing single. The Alfred State Pioneers (2-8) then went down in order despite pushing their initial base runner to third on a sacrifice bunt.
The Smith Pioneers (6-1) return to Massachusetts in the midst of the best program start since the 2004 ECAC Division III New England Champions reeled off 12 in-a-row to begin the season. This year's team has already recorded a pair of run-shortened victories for the most since 2012 when the Pioneers defeated Bay Path 12-2 on April 4 and Babson 15-7 three days later.
Today's extra inning triumph is the first since edging Western New England, 3-2, in nine innings on April 16, 2013. It's also not the first time Smith has logged a run-shortened game and an extra-inning contest in the same day as the Pioneers swept WPI on March 20, 2007 with a 14-0 decision in five and a 3-2 win in nine.
Zimmerman scored from first on a sequence that began with a stolen base back in the first. Alfred State evened the game in the second with an unearned run. Alfred State went down in order three times while stranding a runner in scoring position in the fourth and sixth. Smith had a runner on second in the third, fifth and sixth as the third out was recorded in each stanza.
Richardson was a blistering six-for-seven on the day with a double, three RBI and a pair of runs scored. Zimmerman batted 3-for-6 with three runs scored and two stolen bases. Snyder finished 3-for-7 with two doubles, two RBI, three runs scored and a stolen base. In addition to allowing just four hits in nine scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts and picking up two wins, Martucci went 3-for-6 at the dish with four RBI and a walk.
Caroline Kushner (Cheshire, Conn./Cheshire) and
Brittney Blokker (Seattle, Wash./Ballard) each chipped in with a pair of safeties.
Natalie Burchat (Shrewsbury, Mass./Shrewsbury) did not allow an earned run on three hits and fanned four to begin the Florida finale.
After a 1-2-3 first and a scoreless second inning, Smith jumped out to a 4-0 lead against the Wisconsin-Platteville Pioneers (7-5) in the eye-opener. Snyder, Blokker and Burchat all singled in a run while Martucci reached on a run-producing fielder's choice. The Massachusetts Pioneers then added four more in the following inning as Zimmerman drove in a pair with a one-out single and Martucci followed with a 2-RBI base hit. The Wisconsin-Platteville Pioneers left a runner aboard as a pop up to short ended the game.
Smith heads to The Field at Rotch Playground on the campus of Emerson College to open New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action with a twinbill against Babson on Sunday. First pitch is slated for 3:30 p.m. Click
HERE for the official spring schedule update tracker.
