CLERMONT, Fla. – The Endicott softball team saw action last night against St. Norbert in Clermont, Florida at the National Training Center and mounted a comeback to defeated the Knights 11-6. Three different Gulls knocked in three runners in scoring position to help Endicott improve to 3-1 overall on their spring break trip. Due to impending weather Endicott's second game set for 7:00 p.m. vs. Scranton was cancelled and will currently not be made up. The Blue and Green play next on Thursday, March 20th as they pick up where they left off from Tuesday's rain-delayed game with Plymouth State at 7:30 am and start new match ups with NESCAC opponent Amherst at 9:00 am and Little East foe Southern Maine at 1:00 pm.
The Knights found success early as they took a 3-0 lead due to defensive miscues by the Gulls. After St. Norbert retired the side in order to wrap up the first they added to their lead in the second inning with two more runs to take the four run advantage.
The Blue and Green found their rhythm entering the bottom of the second as they scored five runs. With freshman Julia McNeill (Hauppauge, N.Y.) and sophomore Sam DiBella (Danvers, Mass.) in scoring position with two outs, junior Jess Linden (Stratford, Conn.) singled to bring them to home plate to earn two RBIs.
First runners on first and second, senior Jesse Bilafer (Concord, Mass.) singled to load the bases for freshman Rachel Couto (Chelmsford, Mass.) who roped a double to left center to clear the bases, tying the game at 5-5.
After a scoreless third inning for both sides Bilafer went up to bat in the bottom of the fourth with sophomore Jamie Corda (Higganum, Conn.) on third base and singled to get her first RBI of the game. Endicott scored another five runs in the fifth inning on a Gikas bases-clearing double and RBI hits by Linden and Bilafer. Endicott's five-run fifth inning pushed their lead up to 11-5.
With senior Nell O'Connor (Harwich, Mass.) controlled the circle in relief of sophomore Courtney Blake (East Islip, N.Y.) as she pitched a 1-2-3 top of the sixth to keep Endicott on top. In the seventh inning the Knights were able to tally one more run after a fielding error but it was not enough as O'Connor closed to game to secure the 11-6 victory.
