Box Score WALTHAM, Mass. –
Sarah Tully (West Simsbury, Conn./Simsbury) and
Allison Snyder (Succasunna, N.J./Roxbury) combined for three RBI in the second inning while
Gina Martucci (Pompton Plains, N.J./Pequannock Township) became the Smith College softball single-season shutout leader as the third-seeded Pioneers ended the day in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III New England Softball Championship driver's seat with a 3-0 victory over fourth-seeded Salve Regina on Saturday evening.
Smith improved to 22-13 while Salve Regina moved to 22-18. The Pioneers, who next play on Sunday at 1:00 p.m., await the winner of the 11:00 a.m. game between the Seahawks and WPI. Smith will only have to win one while their opponent will have to win two. Should a second game be necessary, it will follow at 3:00 p.m.
Martucci tied Bonnie Benson's 1999 shutout total in the Pioneers first game of the day and moved into the top spot by herself with the 3-0 triumph over Salve Regina. She finished with 10 strikeouts in the one-hit complete-game gem.
Caroline Kushner (Cheshire, Conn./Cheshire) and Martucci reached on back-to-back one-out singles in the bottom of the second. Tully followed with a double to plate Kushner for the first tally of the game. Tully and Martucci then scored on a 2-RBI single by Snyder for the 3-0 Pioneer advantage.
Smith looked to make more noise with the bases loaded in the third; however, the Seahawks induced a ground out to end the threat.
Martucci struck out seven as the Pioneers retired the first 13 Salve Regina batters in order. Sara Nelson broke up the no-hit bid with a one-out double in the top of the fifth. A ground out moved Nelson to third but Smith got back on track and retired the final eight Seahawks of the game.
Kelsey Boarman (5-6) shouldered the loss allowing three runs on nine hits with a pair of strikeouts in the complete game.
Tully and
Tori Brown (New Market, Md./Linganore) went 2-for-3 while Martucci was a perfect 2-for-2 with a walk.
