Softball Swept at Newbury
Game 1
Game 1
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mitchell | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 2 |
|
Newbury | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | X | 4 | 7 | 1 |
Game 2
Game 2
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mitchell | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
|
Newbury | 2 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 12 | 1 |
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. -- The Newbury College softball team snapped a two-game skid by sweeping Sunday afternoon's New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) doubleheader against Mitchell College, 4-3 and 11-3.
Sheri Liggiero went 5-for-7 at the plate with a double and two RBI for the Nighthawks. She also scored three runs and swiped two bags.
Newbury jumped on the scoreboard early in the opening game. Right-hander Michaela McGowan helped her own cause in the bottom of the second by rocketing a ground-rule double into the right-center field gap. Two batters later, Taylor Foley laid down a perfect bunt single to give the Nighthawks runners at the corners with only one out. Moments later, Mitchell junior right-hander Tricia Tomaselli served up consecutive walks to Julia Flamenco and Tory Hoemke to bring in McGowan for the game's first run.
The Nighthawks grabbed two more runs an inning later. Liggiero led off the frame with a bunt single before being wiped out at second on fielder's choice by Anjelina Mayjoffo. Mayjoffo came around to score on another double from McGowan to give Newbury the 2-0 advantage before Foley brought home McGowan two batters later with a single to right-center to give the Nighthawks a 3-0 cushion.
That was plenty for McGowan, who was lights out against the Mariners in the early innings. In the top of the fourth, she escaped a no-out, bases-loaded jam unscathed thanks to some solid defense behind her. Tomaselli lifted a high fly ball to right field for the first out of the inning, and freshman Alexandra Blanchette attempted to score but was thrown out at the plate on a perfect throw by Hoemke. McGowan then got junior Ariel Hallisey to ground out to third to end the threat.
Mitchell made a game of it by scoring twice in the sixth to cut the deficit to 3-2. Sophomore Dylan Riccardi had an RBI single in the frame to lead the charge. However, Newbury's Alyssa Donovan took care of business in the home half of the sixth and gave the Nighthawks an insurance run with a two-out single up the middle to bring home Amber Rapchun.
The extra run proved to be necessary as Mitchell grabbed a run back in the top of the seventh. Freshman Jenny Groman and senior Tiffany Person hit back-to-back doubles to score a run and put the tying run in scoring position. McGowan, however, retired the next two batters to earn her sixth victory of the season. She allowed just three runs on nine hits while striking out five.
In game two of the afternoon, Mitchell wasted no time and jumped on Newbury starter Rebecca Roach. After Person reached on an error and Blanchette walked, sophomore Lindsey Romagnino blasted a three-run home run to left-center to give the Mariners a 3-0 lead.
However, the Nighthawks began to chip away and cut into the lead in the home half of the frame. Liggiero worked a one-out walk and then advanced 60 feet on a base-hit to left-center off the bat of Mayjoffo. Two batters later, Katie Haney lined a single to right-center to drive in Liggiero from second, the first of her four RBI on the afternoon. Moments later, Mayjoffo came into score the Nighthawks' second run courtesy of a wild pitch.
The score stayed the same until the bottom of the third inning. Haney launched a three-run homer to left-center to give the Nighthawks a 5-3 lead which they would never relinquish.
Newbury's bats remained red-hot in the fourth as it batted around and scored three more runs. The Nighthawks then added two runs in fifth to go on to the 11-3 victory.
After a rough first inning, Roach settled down and kept the Mariners off balance. She allowed just two earned runs on one hit while striking out two in 5.0 innings of work to earn her fourth victory of the season.
Newbury improved to 10-10 on the season and 4-2 in the conference while Mitchell dropped to 5-17 and 2-6 in NECC action.
