Softball Splits on Final Day of Southern Trip

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - The Wentworth Institute of Technology softball team finished up its spring break trip by splitting a pair of game against St. Joseph's College and Franciscan College. The Golden Eagles took game one, 8-0, while the Leopards picked up the five-inning, 13-2 victory over the Barons in game two on Friday afternoon at the North Myrtle Beach Complex.

Game One: St. Joseph's (L.I.) 8, Wentworth 0 (5 innings)
Through the first two frames, St. Joseph's tacked on four runs to give them the 4-0 lead. In the Golden Eagles' half of the first and the bases loaded, Senior Mallory McClafferty (Bellport, N.Y.) walked in the first run of the game. Senior Megan Leun (Hauppauge, N.Y.) followed up with a sacrifice fly to left field that plated sophomore Kristen Arbiter (Seaford, N.Y.) to give St. Joseph's the 2-0 advantage. Freshman Jillian McFadzen (Commack, N.Y.) hammered out a two out, two-run triple to left field that gave the Golden Eagles the 4-0 lead.

In the top of the fourth, St. Joseph's added an additional four runs onto their lead and put the game away. Two errors committed by the Wentworth defense allowed three runs to cross home, followed up by a McClafferty double that plated the fourth St. Joseph's run of the inning.

Freshman Hayley Rutkey (Burnt Hills, N.Y.) took the loss (0-2), allowing six runs (two earned) on nine hits while walking one batter through four innings pitched. Sophomore Megan Berryman (Middleboro, Mass.), sophomore Vanessa Weymouth (Fremont, N.H.) and freshman Kathleen Dunn (Hull, Mass.) led the Leopards' offense, going for a combined 3-for-6 with three singles.

Sophomore Sandra Foster (East Meadow, N.Y.) improved to 1-1 in the win, giving up three hits and no runs through five innings.

Game Two: Wentworth 13, Franciscan 2 (5 innings)
Wentworth wasted no time getting its offense going by pounding out a 10-run slugfest in the first frame. The Leopards racked up six runs with just one out, including three consecutive singles and a double from sophomore Rachel Willcutt (Tilton, N.H.). Wentworth made their way through the lineup in the inning, leading to both Weymouth and Berryman driving in runs on back-to-back singles to take the 10-0 lead after one.

The Leopards stretched the lead out to 13-0 after two innings. Both freshman Emily Winter (Stratford, Conn.) and senior Karsyn Sawyer (Chatham, N.Y.) plated two Wentworth runs on back-to-back singles with Libby White grounding out to the shortstop to drive in the third run of the second frame.

After Wentworth extended its lead, Franciscan got two runs back in their half of the second thanks to a single from sophomore Lindsey Finch (San Diego, Calif.) followed by a double from junior Ilana Gonzalez (Tucson, Ariz.). However, the two runs were all the Barons could put together as the Leopards ended their spring break trip with a 13-2 victory.

Freshman Erica Norquist (Rutland, Mass.) picked up the win for Wentworth, pitching five solid innings and allowed two runs on six hits while improving to 2-2. The Leopards offense went 16-for-31 at the plate. Berryman, Weymouth, and Willcutt combined to drive in six runs.

Junior Jordan Cunningham (Chester, W.V.) took the loss for the Barons, surrendering 13 runs on 13 hits and two walks through the 13 batters she faced. Freshman Amanda Pulice (Weirton, W.V.) pitched three innings of relief, allowing three hits.

Wentworth sits at 2-4 and hosts Mass. Maritime on Thursday.