SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Endicott softball team traveled to Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) opponent Western New England on Saturday afternoon for a double header. The Gulls split with the Golden Bears taking game one, 2-1 and falling in game two, 3-2. Endicott enters tomorrow at 10-4 (3-1 CCC) while WNE also improves to 6-10 (2-2 CCC).
Game One: Endicott 2, Western New England 1
In game one sophomores Sam DiBella (Danvers, Mass.) and Emily Hoffman (Malden, Mass.) led the stat sheet with earning the two RBIs in the 2-1 victory over the Golden Bears. Controlling the circle was the task of senior pitcher Nell O'Connor (Harwich, Mass.) who pushed her 2014 record to 5-0 in the triumph.
O'Connor hurled all seven innings in game one recording four strikeouts on 30 batters faced while allowing just one run. The senior is currently tied for third in the CCC with her five wins while she sits in second for her 1.11 ERA.
The Blue and Green scored their two runs early in the top of the first inning. To start off, senior Jesse Bilafer (Concord, Mass.) singled through the left side. In order to bump her to second, senior Alex Moise (North Reading, Mass.) forced the sacrifice bunt to advance Bilafer into scoring position at second base. Hoffman then doubled to right field to bring Bilafer around the bases to take the 1-0 lead.
With Hoffman in scoring position on second base, DiBella then ripped a double down the left field line to bring Hoffman home. O'Connor then pitched two 1-2-3 innings out of the four scoreless before giving up the Golden Bears lone run in the bottom of the fifth after junior Lauren Zambrano (Wallingford, Conn.) doubled down the left field line to bring home teammate Corianna DeLisi (Tuxedo, N.Y.).
O'Connor pitched a solid sixth and seventh inning to secure the win and move into game two at 10-3 (3-0 CCC).
Game Two: Endicott 2, Western New England 3
In game two the Gulls fought for the comeback win until the final outs but the Golden Bears were able to edge the Blue and Green 3-2, despite their efforts. Junior Jess Linden (Stratford, Conn.) recorded the clutch RBI in the top of the seventh to make it a one run game by Endicott couldn't manage one more run to tie it up as WNE took the win.
Scoring for Western New England all took place in the bottom of the third inning as Zambrano ripped a homerun with two on base to take the 3-0 lead. Sophomore pitcher Katherine Clark (Tauntaon, Mass.) fought back by hurling all six innings for the Gulls while recording three strikeouts as she faced 22 batters. The sophomore played strong in the circle as she posted four 1-2-3 innings.
In the top of the sixth with two Gulls in scoring position and one out, Hoffman sacrificed to center field to advance freshman Chrissy Gikas (Danvers, Mass.) home to make it a two run game.
After the final 1-2-3 inning by Clark, the Gulls entered the top of the seventh down by two. With two outs and zero on base, sophomore Jamie Corda (Higganum, Conn.) doubled to right center to get in scoring position. Gikas then singled up the middle to advance her to third. Linden stepped up to the plate and singled to the shortstop to bring Corda home to make it a one run game. Despite the efforts the Golden Bears wrapped up the inning as Bilafer flew out to left field to end the game.
The Gulls will see action next tomorrow, April 6th at 12/2 as they host CCC opponent Nichols for a double header.
