Gulls Split Doubleheader; Win 1-0 Over West. Conn. St., Fall 9-3 to Clarkson

Western Conn. St.

Endicott

Final	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Western Conn. St. (5-5)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	7	2
Endicott (3-4)	0	0	0	0	1	0	X	1	4	0

Endicott

Clarkson

Final	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Endicott (3-5)	0	1	1	0	1	0	0	3	5	5
Clarkson (10-2)	0	5	0	2	1	1	X	9	10	0

Pitching

Win: J. Bridge (5-0)

Loss: Meg Donegan (0-1)

Batting

Endicott

2B: Danielle Stratton; Julia McNeill 2

3B: none

HR: Sam Dibella

Clarkson

2B: Schwenzfeier

3B: none

HR: none

full stats

Posted: Mar 19, 2015

CLERMONT, Fla. – The Endicott softball team split in their double header on Thursday morning with regional opponents Western Connecticut and Clarkson. Highlighted by the game winning run from junior Jamie Corda (Higganum, Conn.) on a perfectly executed suicide squeeze by Julia McNeill (Hauppauge, N.Y.), the Gulls collected a 1-0 victory before falling to a tough Clarkson team 9-3. Endicott sees their record move to 3-5 at the Dot Richardson Spring Games and will compete in their final double header of the spring break trip tomorrow, March 20th as they compete with two nationally ranked opponents. At 9:00 a.m. they will battle with #9 Luther and at 11:00 a.m. with #4 Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Game One: Endicott 1, Western Connecticut State 0

In the first contest of the day, the Gulls rode the arm of junior Courtney Blake (East Islip, N.Y.) to a 1-0 victory as the junior notched her first shutout of the season. Blake was able to scatter seven hits through her seven innings while striking out two and walking just one to improve to 3-1 on the season. The Gulls played well defensively behind her, recording 13 of the 21 outs through ground balls without committing an error.

Western Connecticut saw pitcher Alle Sabith (Meriden, Conn.) nearly match Blake's performance as the junior surrendered just the one run on four hits in her six innings of work. Sabith was able to strike out seven and walk just two in her six innings of work.

A pitcher's duel all the way through, the Gulls were finally able to get to Sabith and post the lone run of the game in the fifth inning when sophomore Julia McNeill was able to score junior Jamie Corda (Higganum, Conn.). Corda reached via a one out double down the left field line and advanced to third on a Danielle Stratton (Agawam, Mass.) single. McNeill then came to the box and executed a perfect suicide squeeze to bring home Corda home and move Stratton to second. The run would be all Blake would need to bring home the win.

Offensively, Corda led the way for the Gulls with a 2-3 day that included a double and a run. McNeill, who had the only RBI of the contest on her sacrifice, finished 1-1 with a walk. Defensively, firstbasemen Hannah Graney (Acton, Mass.) and Kate Shields (Seekonk, Mass.) each recorded six putouts while Blake, Lindsee Allienello (East Providence, R.I.) and Chanler Hospot (Pittsfield, Mass.) all finished with three assists.

Leading the way for the Colonials was Nina Woktkiewicz (Griswold, Conn.) who finished 3-4 from the plate.

Game Two: Endicott 3, Clarkson 9

In game two, senior Meg Donegan (Atkinson, N.H.) started in the circle for the Gulls hurling four innings before sophomore Leigh Wyman (South Freeport, Maine) pitched the final two. Donegan struck out three of her 24 batters faced, while allowing seven runs overall, only one of which was earned. For the Golden Knights clutch pitcher, sophomore Jamie Bridge (Plymouth, Conn.) improved to 5-0 on the season as she recorded eight strikeouts on 15 batters faced.

The Blue and Green started the scoring in the top of the second as junior Sam DiBella (Danvers, Mass.) launched her second homerun of the season to take the 1-0 lead. Clarkson quickly answered back in the bottom of the second as the Golden Knights took advantage of two of five defensive miscues on the day by the Gulls. Clarkson would record five runs on three hits and two errors in the inning, ending the frame with a 5-1 lead.

The Gulls would gain a run back in the third as Julia McNeill (Hauppauge, N.Y.) doubled home Danielle Stratton (Agawam, Mass.) who had doubled right before McNeill. McNeill, an offensive force all game, would knock home her second RBI of the game and third of the day in the fifth when she struck a double to deep right center that brought home senior Jess Linden (Stratford, Conn.). The RBI was McNeill's 1th of the season as she raised her batting average to .458. That would conclude the Endicott scoring for the day as the Gulls couldn't get another runner across home as they would fall to Clarkson 9-3.

Endicott sees their record move to 3-5 at the Dot Richardson Spring Games and will compete in their final double header of the spring break trip tomorrow, March 20th, as they compete with two nationally ranked opponents. At 9:00 a.m. the Gulls will take on #9 Luther before facing off against #4 Wisconsin-Whitewater at 11:00 a.m.