NORTHAMPTON, Mass. – Wellesley College softball reached the mercy rule versus Smith College, 10-2, in game one of its NEWMAC doubleheader on Friday before the Pioneers (7-23 Overall, 3-11 NEWMAC) utilized early offense in a 5-2 win in the nightcap.
Game 1 | Wellesley 10, Smith 2 | Final (6 Inn.)
The offense set the tempo for the Blue (15-14-1 Overall, 8-8 NEWMAC), with 10 runs spread out over six innings, including a five-run sixth to reach the mercy rule.
Wellesley opened the game with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. Sophomore Alena Mulhern (Kingston, Mass.) opened the game with a deep triple to left center. Mulhern scored on a fielder's choice from senior Charis Chung (San Gabriel, Calif.). A double steal later allowed Chung to cross the plate from third.
The Blue tacked on a third run in the second. Sophomore Giana Jones (Fairfield, Calif.) walked to open the inning and advanced to second on a foul out. The sophomore then reached third and later home on a pair of wild pitches.
Wicker helped the visitors offense with an RBI single up the middle in the third, scoring first-year Ruijia Yang (Berwyn, Pa.). Wicker took second on the throw and later advanced to third on a ground out. Wicker would score on a sacrifice fly to right field from sophomore Diana Borrison (San Jose, Calif.) to make it 5-0 in the Blue's favor.
The runs continued to pile up for the Blue in the sixth. Jones roped an RBI single to left field, allowing first-year Natalie Nicol (Latexo, Texas) to score. Jones and classmate Emily Kulhanek (Newbury, Calif.) both came in on a two-run double to left center by junior Andrea Delgado (Miami, Fla.). An error at third caused the Blue to extend the margin to 10-0, bringing in Delgado and sophomore Anisa Rodriguez (La Quinta, Calif.).
Smith got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth. Sophomore Taz Tamai (Cincinnati, Ohio) tripled to lead off the inning before advancing home on a wild pitch.
Sophomore Sarah Wicker (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.) earned the win for Wellesley with five innings of one for Wellesley and four k's. Sophomore Jill Colgan (Las Vegas, Nev.) pitched an inning of relief with no runs allowed and a strikeout.
Junior Emilie Doty (Arlington, Va.) started for the Pioneers and threw five innings of seven-run ball with six hits and three walks allowed as well as three strikeouts. First-year Lindsay Bennett (Sanford, Maine) allowed three runs, two earned, and fanned one in an inning of relief.
Game 2 | Smith 5, Wellesley 2 | Final
Sophomore Bailey Gray (Missouri City, Texas) helped Smith take game two, going all seven innings with a trio of strikeouts while allowing just four hits and two walks.
For a second consecutive game, Mulhern opened with a triple, before taking the plate and a 1-0 lead on a wild pitch.
The Pioneers bats came alive with five runs in the bottom half of the opening frame. After loading the bases, sophomore Lucy Allen (West Boylston, Mass.) drove in a pair with a double. Allen then scored on a single to center field from senior Piper Corey (Phoenix, Ariz.). The final two runs of the inning came on a two-bagger to deep center from Bennett.
Colgan chipped away at the deficit in the third with a single up the middle that scored Yang and cut it to 5-2.
Smith loaded the bases in the latter half of the sixth but senior Lauren Young (Fresno, Calif.) induced a fly out to avoid any damage.
Colgan opened the game for Wellesley, tossing two-thirds of an inning while allowing five runs, with two earned. Young tossed 5.1 scoreless innings of relief, punching out four while putting seven runners on base.
Each team hits the road for a 12 & 2 PM NEWMAC doubleheader on Sunday. The Blue play at Wheaton College while the Pioneers head to MIT.
