Softball Loses to Gordon in League-Opening Doubleheader

BOSTON, Mass. – Sophomore Kara Pepper (Wyckoff, N.J.) went 3-for-4 with three RBI in the first game and junior Skylar Bareford (Stonington, Conn.) went 4-for-4 with three RBI in the nightcap as the Gordon College softball team swept Wentworth Institute of Technology, 5-3 and 9-2, the Commonwealth Coast Conference opening doubleheader for each team.

The Fighting Scots took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when pepper delivered a triple to right center and came home to score when Bareford grounded out.

Wentworth took a 2-1 lead in the home half of the fourth inning as sophomore Sam Curran (Quincy, Mass.), who led off the inning with a walk, eventually scored on a wild pitch and junior Paige Mochi (Cambridge, Mass.) singled in sophomore Liz Glavin (Ipswich, Mass.).

Gordon plated three in the top of the fifth when Pepper came up with the bases loaded and delivered a three-run double. Pepper had an infield single in the top of the seventh and would eventually come in to score on a Bareford singles, making it 5-2.

The Leopards scored once in the bottom of the seventh and left the tying runs in scoring position. Sophomore Devinn Doherty (Bridgewater, Mass.) drew a one-out walk and went to second on a freshman Erin McKinnon (Berlin, Conn.) single. After a strikeout, Glavin hit a double, scoring Doherty and moving McKinnon to third. However, Bareford got a fly out to end the game.

Bareford picked up the win (2-3) as she allowed three runs on five hits, walked five, and struck out eight. Freshman Kiersten Bireen (Groton, Mass.) and junior Kendall Bukuras (North Falmouth, Mass.) each recorded two hits for the Fighting Scots.

Glavin and McKinnon had two hits apiece for the Leopards, while freshman Kate Lee (Spruce Head, Maine) took the loss (1-6). Lee allowed five runs on eight hits, walked two and struck out one.

Game two saw Gordon score three runs in the second inning and four more in the third to take a 7-0 lead. In the second, sophomore Rachel Ryder (Telford, Pa.) had a sacrifice fly, freshman Hope Zigterman (Villa Park, Ill.) scored on a wild pitch, and freshman Marissa Meenan (Wayne, Pa.) had an RBI single.

An inning later the Fighting Scots scored three of their four runs on wild pitches and the four came when Bareford had an infield single that scored Ryder.

The Leopards got on the board in the bottom of the third when Doherty doubled home sophomore Kelley Shawchuk (Westerly, R.I.), however, Gordon increased its lead to 8-1 in the fifth when Bareford delivered a single.

The two teams traded runs in the seventh as Bareford had an RBI double in the top of the inning and Mochi had an RBI groundout, which scored junior Haylee Bacik (Lowell, Mass.) in the bottom of the inning.

Junior Kelly Beardslee (Thomaston, Conn.) improved to 2-3 as she allowed two runs on three hits, walked three, and struck out seven. In addition to Bareford's four hits, Pepper and Meenan had two hits apiece.

Sophomore Anna Wahlstrom (Quincy, Mass.) took the loss (1-3) as she allowed seven runs (five earned) on four hits, walked five and struck out one in two-plus innings of work. Lee allowed two runs on six hits and struck out one batter in five innings of work. At the plate Doherty, Glavin, and Bacik each had hits.

With the two wins Gorodn snaps a two-game losing streak and improves to 4-6 overall (2-0 CCC). The Fighting Scots host Eastern Nazarene tomorrow. Wentworth falls to 2-9 (0-2) and hosts Maine-Presque Isle on Thursday.

Gordon 5, Wentworth 3 (03/26/13 at Boston, Mass.) (Game 1)
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Gordon.............. 100 030 1 -  5  8  1      (3-6, 1-0 CCC)
Wentworth........... 000 200 1 -  3  5  0      (2-8, 0-1 CCC)
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Pitchers: Gordon - Skylar Bareford and Hope Zigterman. Wentworth - Kate Lee and Liz Glavin.
Win-Skylar Bareford (2-3); Loss-Kate Lee (1-6); T-1:41

Gordon 9, Wentworth 2 (03/26/13 at Boston, Mass.) (Game 2)
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Gordon.............. 034 010 1 -  9 10  0      (4-6, 2-0 CCC)
Wentworth........... 001 000 1 -  2  3  2      (2-9, 0-2 CCC)
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Pitchers: Gordon - Kelly Beardslee and Hope Zigterman. Wentworth - Anna Wahlstrom; Kate Lee (3) and Karsyn Sawyer.
Win-Kelly Beardslee (2-3); Loss-Anna Wahlstrom (1-3); T-1:53
Wahlstrom faced 4 batters in the 3rd.