WELLESLEY, Mass. – Wellesley College softball split its NEWMAC doubleheader with Emerson College to end the regular season on Friday afternoon. Sophomore Sarah Wicker (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.) earned a shutout victory for the Blue (16-17-1 Overall, 9-11 NEWMAC) in a 4-0 game one before the Lions captured a 6-3 game two in extra innings.

Game 1 | Wellesley 4, Emerson 0 | Final

Wellesley took an early lead with a run in the first. Senior Charis Chung (San Gabriel, Calif.) reached base on a single and later scored on an Emerson miscue.  

Chung helped the Blue increase the lead to 3-0 in the second with a two-run single that brought in junior Andrea Delgado (Miami, Fla.) and first-year Ruijia Yang (Berwyn, Pa.).

In the fifth, first-year Brynne Mellady (Ellicott City, Md.) scored from second on a wild pitch to put Wellesley in front 4-0. 

Wellesley Wicker scattered three hits in the shutout victory and struck out seven. 

Sophomore Caleigh Sheehan (Bolton, Conn.) took the complete game loss with three earned runs allowed on nine hits with six strikeouts. 

Chung, Delgado and sophomore Jill Colgan (Las Vegas, Nev.) had two hits apiece for the Blue. 

Game 2 | Emerson 6, Wellesley 3 | Final - 10 Inn.

Emerson senior Jessica Gomez (West Chester, Pa.) and Wellesley senior Lauren Young (Fresno, Calif.) both tossed 10 innings for their respective teams in a close game two. Gomez came away with the win, allowing seven hits over the 10 frames. Young struck out a trio, giving up seven hits and two walks in the losing effort.

After a swift 3 ½ innings, Wellesley broke the scoreless tie with an RBI single from sophomore Giana Jones (Fairfield, Calif.) that plated junior Emeline Gaunce (Los Altos, Calif.), who reached earlier on a single. 

In the top of the sixth, Emerson scored a pair to take its first lead of the day at 2-1. With two outs, sophomore Riley Caiazza (Schaghticoke, N.Y) hit a bloop single over first base that scored senior Grace Beaulieu (Rochester, N.H.) and senior Mackenzie Rice (Severna Park, Md.). 

The Blue rallied in the bottom of the seventh to extend the game to extras. Junior Chiara Lundin (Piedmont, Calif.) hit a pinch hit sac fly to left to bring home pinch runner first-year Natalie Nicol (Latexo, Texas) with the equalizer. 

Emerson took advantage of its opportunities to add four runs in the top of the tenth after both teams were unable to find a run in the eighth and ninth frames. A throwing error brought in senior Ally Lacey (Londonderry, N.H.), a sacrifice fly plated Rice and another fielding mistake allowed senior Sam Zannotti (Dudley, Mass.) to advance home. Caizza capped off the inning with an RBI single to put the visitors up 6-2.

Yang opened the bottom of the tenth with an RBI double to right center to bring in Jones. That was as far as Wellesley got, with Gomez finishing the 10 innings of work with a pair of fly outs and a pop out.

Emerson's Caiazza led all players with three hits and three RBIs. 

Jones and Yang each went 2-for-4 with an RBI for Wellesley. 

Wellesley will now await the NEWMAC Softball Championship bracket release to determine its next game. Emerson will host Wheaton College tomorrow at 1:30 & 3:30 PM.