WELLESLEY, Mass. – Wellesley College softball overcame a 4-3 defeat in game one to take an 8-2 second game of a NEWMAC doubleheader with Clark University Friday afternoon. With the win, the Blue are now 11-8 Overall, 4-4 NEWMAC. The Cougars now sit at 11-10 Overall, 1-5 NEWMAC.
Game 1 | Clark 4, Wellesley 3 | Final
Clark won a back and forth game one, breaking up a 3-3 tie with one more in the top of the seventh.
Junior Sarah Wicker (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.) went the first four innings for Wellesley, giving up three runs and five hits while striking out a pair. First-year Lauren Seyller (South Elgin, Ill.) allowed an unearned run, two hits and a walk over three innings of work.
Senior Brooke Buzzeo (Trumbull, Conn.) recorded a complete-game win for the Cougars. Buzzeo allowed eight base runners with two k's.
The Cougars put up the first run of the game in the top of the second inning. Senior Erin Slavin (Rocky Hill, Conn.) singled to leadoff the inning before advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt. A double to left field from junior Alexis Taudel (Fiskdale, Mass.) drove in Slavin to get Clark on the scoreboard.
Wellesley took the lead in the latter part of the third with two runs, making it 2-1. A Natalie Nicol (Crockett, Texas) bunt single was rewarded when the sophomore came in on an RBI single from senior Andrea Delgado (Miami, Fla.). First-year Brooklyn Awad (Montclair, N.J.) then put the Blue out in front with a one-run single to center that plated junior Alena Mulhern (Kingston, Mass.).
Clark went on to wrestle the lead away from Wellesley with two tallies in the fourth inning. A Felicia Salvati (Naugatuck, Conn.) double tied the game when senior Caitriona Andre (Fairhaven, Mass.) touched home plate. An RBI double sophomore Abigail Venis (Sudbury, Mass.) gave the Cougars a one-run edge.
Wellesley loaded the bases in the fifth with junior Anisa Rodriguez (La Quina, Calif.), Nicol and Delgado on with one out. However, a force out at the plate followed by a lineout kept the Blue from adding any runs to the total.
An early error in the bottom of the sixth by Clark allowed Wellesley to knot the game up at 3-3. Junior Emily Kulhanek (Newbury, Calif.) reached on an error and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Senior Emeline Gaunce (Palo Alto, Calif.) tied the game with a key liner to left-center that allowed Kulhanek to score.
Defensive miscues gave the Cougars its fourth and leading run in the top of the seventh. A sacrifice fly by sophomore Avery Della Piana (Tewksbury, Mass.) with the bases loaded brought in junior Charlise Quigley (Long Beach, N.Y.).
Game 2 | Wellesley 8, Clark 2 | Final
Wellesley unleashed eight hits and eight runs while Junior Jill Colgan (Las Vegas, Nev.) earned a complete-game win in the circle. Colgan had a pair of hits while fanning three batters in a strong two-way performance.
After three and a half scoreless innings, the Blue broke the stalemate with a pair of runs. Colgan got on base with a walk before Gaunce singled through the left side to put two batters on base. Wicker came up clutch with a two-run double to the deep right-center gap that scored both baserunners.
The Blue added an insurance run to grab a 3-0 edge in the fifth inning. Mulhern walked and stole second. Delgado hit an infield single and Mulhern used aggressive baserunning to take the plate and add a run to the total.
Clark chipped away at the deficit in the sixth with two runs making it 3-2. Salvari supplied a run with an RBI triple to get sophomore Merry Griffin (Barrington, R.I.) in from second. Salvati then advanced home on a fielder's choice from Venis.
The Blue burst out for five more runs in the sixth, upping its advantage to 8-2. Wicker opened the inning with an RBI double to left center that scored Colgan. A fielding error scored Rodriguez and loaded the bases for Delgado. The senior captain took advantage by unleashing a three-run double to the right center gap.
Clark junior Megan Dube (Leominster, Mass.) went the whole way pitching for Clark, giving up four earned runs (eight total) and striking out one.
Each team plays a conference doubleheader tomorrow. The Blue head to Salve Regina University for a 2 & 4 PM showdown while the Cougars host MIT at 12 & 2 PM.
