Softball Takes Two in Conference Doubleheader Against Gordon

BOSTON, Mass –The Wentworth Institute of Technology softball team picked up two more Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) victories Friday, April 8. The Leopards first defeated Gordon College 10-1 in five innings, then took another five-inning victory by an 11-3 score in game two.

GAME ONE: Wentworth 10, Gordon 1

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Wentworth Batting Leaders: Aurora Wilks (3-for-3, HR, 3 RBI, 1R), Kaitlin Pettenger (2-for-3, HR, 3B, 5 RBI, 2R)
Wentworth Pitching Leaders: Erin Hancock ((W, 5-3), 5 IP, 0 ER, 2H, 3K)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• After setting the Fighting Scots down in order in the first, Wentworth got on the board in the bottom of the inning. Senior Briana Beverly (Pawcatuck, Conn.) connected on a double to left-center with one out, then came around to score on a two-out RBI single by senior Aurora Wilks (Fruitport, Mich.) to give the Leopards a 1-0 lead after one.
• Another strong inning by junior Erin Hancock (Holden, Mass), who threw a complete game and allowed only two hits on the day, put Gordon down quickly in the second. Wentworth then put four more runs on the board in their half. With runners on first and second with one out, an error by Gordon allowed one run to score to make it 2-0. Then junior Kaitlin Pettenger (Budd Lake, N.J.) brought two more in with a triple to left-center to extend Wentworth's lead to four. She then came in to score on a sacrifice fly by senior Alexandra Pina (Cumberland, R.I.), making it a 5-0 game after two innings.
• A leadoff double by the Scots in the top of the third put them in position to cut into the lead, but Hancock came back with a strikeout for the first out. The junior then set the next two batters down with groundouts to strand the runner on third and keep Gordon off the scoreboard. Then the Leopards blew it open in the latter half of the inning, starting with a one-out triple by freshman Jess Rowe (Yardley, Pa.). After classmate Katelin Howe (Bow, N.H.) drew a walk with two outs, Pettenger stepped to the plate and crushed a three-run homer over the right field fence to extend the lead to 8-0.
• The Fighting Scots again went down 1-2-3 in the fourth, and the Leopards took advantage in their half of the inning once again. Pina got things started with a ground-rule double to bring Wilks to the plate. The senior then blasted a two-run shot to centerfield, making it a 10-0 game. Wentworth got the next two runners on, but the next three batters were retired in order as they left both runners on the basepaths.
• A pair of errors by the Leopards put the first two runners on in the fifth, and a one-out sacrifice fly by Mara Little (Port Deposit, Md.) brought in the first run of the day for the Scots, but Hancock closed things out with a groundout to finish it with a 10-1 victory for Wentworth in five innings.

GAME TWO: Wentworth 11, Gordon 3

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Wentworth Batting Leaders: Kaitlin Pettenger (1-for-3, 3 RBI, 2R), Alexandra Pina (3-for-4, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 2R)
Wentworth Pitching Leaders: Kayla DeMedeiros ((W, 5-3), 5 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 2K)

• Gordon got on the board in the opening inning of game two, as two errors put runners on second and third with nobody out. An RBI groundout by Ami Rivera (Concord, N.H.) brought in the first run of the game, but graduate student Kayla DeMedeiros (South Dartmouth, Mass.) stranded two runners on base by picking up back-to-back strikeouts to work out of trouble.
• Wentworth came back to take the lead in the bottom of the first, as the first five batters reached base safely. Pettenger walked, followed by a single from Beverly. Pina then brought one run in with an RBI single to tie the game, and Wilks followed with a single to load the bases. DeMedeiros singled up the middle to bring in the second run, then with one out, Rowe drove one more in with a groundout to make it 3-1. A passed ball gave Wentworth a three-run lead going into the second.
• The Fighting Scots threatened in the second, starting with a leadoff double. After a grounder moved the runner to third, the Leopards turned a double play on a groundout after the runner at third tried to score but was cut down at the plate to end the inning.
• Wentworth picked up one more in the second to add to their lead. After a walk by Beverly and a double from Pina, Wilks brought one in with a sacrifice fly, making it a 5-1 game.
• After a pair of singles to start the top of the third, a fielder's choice put two runners in scoring position with one out for Gordon. An RBI groundout brought one run in, but DeMedeiros got the following batter to ground out as well, limiting the damage to just one run.
• Wentworth again had runner son in their half of the inning, putting two on the bases with two out, but couldn't convert, keeping it at a 5-2 score going to the fourth. The Fighting Scots put another run across in the fourth, cutting the Wentworth lead to two. A single and a walk started the inning, and another RBI groundout allowed the third run of the day to score for the visitors.
• Both teams went down quietly in their next turns at-bat, bringing the game to the bottom of the fifth. The Leopards put up three singles to load the bases, then Pettenger came through and brought them all in with a three-run triple to centerfield, extending the lead to 8-2 with one out. After Beverly walked and stole second, Pina brought in the ninth run of the day with a single to left, scoring Pettenger. Beverly then came home courtesy of an RBI single by Wilks, making it a 10-3 game. Then with two outs, senior Ceilidh Higgins (Medway, Mass.) brought in the final run with a single to left field, scoring Pina and ending the game as a result of the mercy rule as the Leopards claimed an 11-3 win in the second game.

ALL-TIME SERIES:

• These were the 52^nd and 53^rd times the two teams have met, with Gordon now holding a 37-16 advantage in the series.

NEXT UP:

• The Leopards are at Nichols College for a doubleheader Saturday, April 9. Game times are 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

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