NORTHAMPTON, Mass. - Sophomore Elodie Townsend (Mill Valley, Calif./Tamalpais) drove in the winning run in the bottom of the sixth inning to power the Smith College softball team to a 6-5 come-from-behind win over Wellesley College in game one of a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) doubleheader Sunday afternoon. The Blue would earn the split with a 9-3 game two victory. 

The Pioneers are now 5-14 overall and 2-6 in conference action, while Wellesley moves to 5-10, 2-4.

GAME 1: SMITH 6 WELLESLEY 5
The Blue jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning and would tack on one more run on Kalei Oliver's homer to center field. 

The Pioneers tied things up in the bottom of the fourth as Townsend's triple brought home Tyler Feeney (Merrimac, Mass./Pentucket Regional) and Stephanie Konas (Glenmont, N.Y./Bethlehem Central). Townsend tied the came on Alyssa Pioggia (East Longmeadow, Mass./East Longmeadow)'s base knock to center. In the sixth, Smith added three more for a 6-2 advantage.

The Blue rallied in the top of the seventh but came-up short. Sophomore Autumn Brown singled to score Kendall Smith and first-year Amanda Kim. With runners on first and third, Jessica Budz flied out as Smith escaped with the 6-5 win. 

Townsend finished game one going 2-for-4 with three RBI, while Konas went 3-for-4 with one RBI and two runs scored. Senior pitcher Rowan Turner (Kansas City, Kan./Shawnee Mission East) tossed a complete game, allowing five runs on 13 hits with five strikeouts.

For the Blue, Kendall Smith finished with three hits, two runs scored, and a walk. Thyme Morton took the loss in the circle, giving up three runs on four hits.

GAME 2: SMITH 3 WELLESLEY 9
First-year Gen Brittingham put her team up 2-0 in the top of the first with a home run to left field. Smith fought back and cut the lead in half when Makena Wagner (Hilo, Hawaii/Kamehameha Schools Hawaii)'s sac fly scored Rachael Newhall in the third. An inning later, senior Lindsey Lord (Goffstown, N.H./Goffstown) stepped to the plate and laced a single to left, scoring Feeney. 

The Blue would add four runs in the fifth and three in the seventh for the 9-3 victory.
Offensively, Pioggia and Konas each collected two hits for the Pioneers. Junior pitcher Jessica Flohr (Foster City, Calif./Crystal Springs Uplands School) took the loss, giving up six runs in 5.0 innings of work. 

Wellesley sophomore Autumn Brown went 2-for-4 at the plate with three RBI. Sydney Hopper gave up three runs on nine hits in the complete game effort.

UP NEXT
The Pioneers host Amherst College for a doubleheader beginning at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 11.

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.