Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 NORTHAMPTON, Mass. –
Edie Richardson (Franklin, Mass./Fontbonne Academy)'s 2-RBI double was the difference as the Smith College softball team rebounded from a 6-1 defeat in the opener to blank nationally-ranked Wheaton, 3-0, in the nightcap and earn a key New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) split on Friday afternoon.
The Pioneers, who ended the day sixth in the NEWMAC standings, moved to 14-10 on the season and 7-9 in conference play as the Lyons, ranked No. 25 by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association and No. 4 in the NCAA regional rankings, pushed their record to 29-5 overall and 13-3 in the loop.
With one out in the bottom of the first of game two,
Brittney Blokker (Seattle, Wash./Ballard) and
Tori Brown (New Market, Md./Linganore) reached on back-to-back singles and found themselves on second and third following a wild pitch to set the stage for Richardson's double.
Joanna Giordano (South Salem, N.Y./John Jay) added an insurance tally in the second inning as she crossed home plate on a run-producing single by
Ruth Zimmerman (Edison, N.J./John P. Stevens).
After Smith retired the Lyons 1-2-3 in the top of the first, Wheaton left two runners aboard in each of the second and third innings. The Lyons added three more to their total as
Gina Martucci (Pompton Plains, N.J./Pequannock Township) escaped a one-out bases-loaded jam with a fly out to Giordano in left and a grounder to
Caroline Kushner (Cheshire, Conn./Cheshire) at short. The Pioneer defense then retired the final nine batters to secure their first victory over the Lyons since April 11, 2009.
Eight different Smith batters recorded a hit as Richardson doubled and drove in a pair. Blokker and Brown each added a walk for the Pioneers. Martucci moved to 13-5 after scattering five hits and striking out four in the complete game effort.
Five Lyons singled as Noelle Christmas shouldered her first loss of the season (6-1) as she allowed three runs on six hits and struck out two in the first four frames. Emily Berardi yielded a pair of hits over two scoreless innings of relief.
Smith also struck first in the opener as Richardson drove in Brown with an RBI single, and reached second on the throw to the plate, to give the Pioneers the early 1-0 advantage.
It took until the top of the third for Wheaton to tie it up as Erin Deneen doubled home Madeline Hatch. Smith ended the stanza with a double play as Zimmerman caught a popup and fired the ball to Blokker for an out at second base.
The Lyons jumped ahead 3-1 courtesy of Marissa Timoteo's 2-run shot to center field in the top of the fourth. Hatch looked to do more damage as she tripled to open the fifth but was stranded following a ground out to first and a pair of popups to short.
The Pioneers looked to make noise in the home half of the inning as
Sarah Tully (West Simsbury, Conn./Simsbury) and Giordano reached on consecutive singles. Wheaton proceeded to prevent the Pioneers from reaching third as they erased the lead runner with a pair of fielder's choices before a ground out to the pitcher ended the frame.
Wheaton added another tally in the sixth as Timoteo singled to left center to drive in Jenna Rocha. The Lyons tacked on two more in the seventh as Ashley Brillon plated Mary Deoura with a single to the outfield while Ashley Vertente scampered home on the throw.
Richardson batted 2-for-3 with the lone Pioneer RBI. Martucci went five innings (12-5) before yielding to
Natalie Burchat (Shrewsbury, Mass./Shrewsbury) for the final two.
Timoteo paced the Lyons with a 2-for-3 day including three RBI and a run scored. Deneen also batted 2-for-3 while Rocha crossed home plate twice. Allison Baker (13-2) went the distance allowing one run on seven hits with five strikeouts.
Smith travels to the Coast Guard Academy for a noon twinbill while Wheaton makes a return trip to Central Massachusetts for a noon set at Springfield.
