NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Smith College softball team dropped a pair of games to Coast Guard in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) opener for both teams Saturday afternoon. The Bears won game one 6-4 and completed the sweep with a 14-2 five inning victory in game two.

With the two wins the Bears improve to 9-1 overall and open conference play 2-0 for the first time since 2013. The Pioneers fall to 2-10 on the season and 0-2 in the NEWMAC.

Senior Emma Hvozdovich hit her second homerun of the season adding three runs scored and two RBI's on the day. She is tied for third in the conference with 15 RBI's on the season. Sophomore Audrey Barts hit her first dinger of the year, going 2-6 with two RBI's and a run scored. Sophomore Kayla Sowers was 4-6 with four runs scored while freshman Charlee Kraiss went a combined 2-6 with four runs scored, two RBI's and three stolen bases. She is third in the NEWMAC with 10 stolen bases.

Junior Tyler Feeney (Merrimac, Mass./Pentucket Regional) had Smith's lone homerun in the second game as she went a combined 3-7 with a RBI and a run scored. Freshman Rachael Newhall went 3-5 with two RBI's and a run scored while Alyssa Pioggia (East Longmeadow, Mass./East Longmeadow) was 3-6 with two RBI's and a run scored.

In game one, Coast Guard managed to get on the board first as Hvozdovich knocked her second homerun of the season in the bottom of the first, plating Kraiss and giving the Bears the early 2-0 lead.

After Smith managed to get a run back in the top of the second, Coast Guard flashed the leather to get out of a bases loaded jam in the top of fifth, as sophomore Carly Hattman snared a line drive and quickly tagged first for the double play, ending the Pioneers rally and keeping the Bears in front 2-1.

Coast Guard then took advantage of two errors by Smith plating three in the bottom of the fifth to move ahead 6-1.

The Pioneers rallied in the top of the six with three runs to close within two but, with the go-ahead run at the plate, relief pitcher freshman Sydney Arendt managed to get senior Lindsey Lord (Goffstown, N.H./Goffstown) to ground out to Bartz at third to secure the victory for the Bears.

Coast Guard left little doubt in game two scoring 11 runs in the bottom of the first on their way to the 14-2 win in five innings. Smith was undone by five errors as only five of the Bears 14 runs were earned.

Senior Rowan Turner (Kansas City, Kan./Shawnee Mission East) (2-5) took the loss in game one for Smith allowing three earned runs on six hits and striking out one. She also pitched the final two innings in game two giving up three hits. Junior Jessica Flohr (Foster City, Calif./Crystal Springs Uplands School) (0-5) took the game two loss, allowing five earned runs on eight hits.

Sophomore Julia Ferris improved to 5-1 on the season recording her 15^th career win in game one. Ferris pitched five innings, allowing three earned runs on three hits. Arendt came in for the save in game one, pitching two innings allowing one run on four hits. She then came back to pitch a complete game in game two, allowing two runs on six hits and striking out two moving to 4-0 on the season.

UP NEXT
Smith hosts Elms College Monday, March 26 at 4:30 p.m.

(Recap courtesy to Coast Guard Athletics)

About Smith Athletics: Smith College is an NCAA Division III member of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference that sponsors 11 intercollegiate sports. For more information log on to smithpioneers.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.