CLAREMONT, Fla. – Wellesley College softball belted 25 hits and scored 13 runs to win both games at Legends Way Ballfields on Tuesday. The Blue defeated Amherst College 9-1 and SUNY New Paltz 4-2.
Game 1 | Wellesley 9, Amherst 1 | Final (6 Innings)
Wellesley (1-2) opened the scoring in the first when sophomore Alena Mulhern (Kingston, Mass.) crossed home plate on an RBI by first-year Ruijia Yang (Berwyn, Pa.).
The Mammoths (4-1) tied the game in the top of the third on an RBI triple by sophomore Heidi Li (Hockessin, Del.).
The Blue took a 4-1 lead in the bottom half of the frame on RBI singles from sophomore Jill Colgan (Las Vegas, Nev.), first-year Brynne Mellady (Ellicott City, Md.) and sophomore Anisa Rodriguez (La Quinta, Calif.).
Wellesley added three runs in the fourth to take a 7-1 lead. Two runs came in on an Amherst miscue, while Mellady followed with an RBI single.
In the fifth, Yang tripled in senior Charis Chung (San Gabriel, Calif.) to put the Blue in front 8-1.
Wellesley ended the game in the bottom of the sixth when Mellady scored on an error for the eight-run difference.
Colgan earned the start for the Blue and gave up one run on one hit in three innings. Sophomore Sarah Wicker (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.) tossed three scoreless innings of relief with five strikeouts to register the victory.
Mellady and Rodriguez each finished with three hits for Wellesley. Mellady scored once, brought in two and stole a base. Mulhern and Yang added two knocks apiece as the team posted 13 hits.
Game 2 | Wellesley 4, SUNY New Paltz 2 | Final
With two outs in the top of the first, Yang pushed the hit streak to three straight with a double. Yang then came around with the game's first run on an RBI single by Mellady for the early Wellesley (2-2) lead.
In the third, Yang and Mellady combined for another Wellesley run. After Yang reached on a single and stole second, Mellady singled to right to score Yang. First-year Natalie Nicol (Latexo, Texas) later doubled home sophomore Diana Borrison (San Jose, Calif.), who also singled and stole a base in the inning, to give the Blue a 3-0 lead.
The Blue increased the lead to 4-0 with a run in the fourth. Yang singled up the middle to score junior Emelin Gaunce (Los Altos, Calif.), who reached earlier on a single.
The Hawks got on the board in the bottom of the fifth to pull within 4-1. Emma Mae Cabrera (Marlboro, N.Y.) singled to left that brought home senior Jackie Rometo (Montgomery, N.Y.) who also singled earlier.
New Paltz (3-7) threatened in the bottom of the sixth by loading the bases, but Wicker got out of danger with a strikeout.
Junior Kelsey O'Brien (Monroe, N.Y.) tripled to begin the bottom of the seventh for the Hawks. Two batters later, sophomore Ella Sharrock (Selden, N.Y.) also tripled to score O'Brien and pull New Paltz to within 4-2. Wicker retired the next two hitters to preserve the victory for Wellesley.
Senior Lauren Young (Fresno, Calif.) threw four scoreless innings with a couple of strikeouts to earn the win. Wicker pitched the final three innings and surrendered two runs on five hits to pick up the save.
First-year Leah Gunsett (Marlboro, N.Y.) took the loss for the Hawks with six innings, four runs, 12 hits and five strikeouts.
Yang went 4-4 with two runs, an RBI and a stolen base. Yang is 9-for-12 in the last three games. Mellady and Borrison finished with two hits.
O'Brien and Sharrock had two hits apiece to lead the Hawks.
The Blue are back at Legends Way Ballfields on Thursday, March 20. The team will face Bates College at 2:00 PM and Hope College at 4:15 PM.
