BEVERLY, Mass. – The Endicott softball team swept its conference doubleheader against Nichols on Wednesday evening by scores of 4-2 and 5-0.
GAME ONE: Endicott 4, Nichols 2
Endicott starter Michaela Hamill (Lynn, Mass.) picked up the win (6-1) on 6 2/3 innings, two runs (both earned), one walk and three strikeouts. Meanwhile, Laura Somerville (Suffield, Conn.) notched the one-out save (1) with a fielder's choice groundout to third with runners on first and second base.
Nichols starter Alexa Ferris (Holyoke, Mass.) took the loss (8-7) over six innings of work, six hits, four runs (three earned), four free passes, and a game-high eight strikeouts.
Emily Sharpe (South Glens Falls, N.Y.) put Endicott on the scoreboard first with a two-run home run to dead center field in the first inning. The Gulls also saw Jamie Hopgood (Warwick, R.I.) plate Gina DeMilt (Princeton, N.J.) with an infield single to short in the fifth and Lindsee Allienello (East Providence, R.I.) record an RBI single up the middle in the sixth.
DeMilt played a major role in the Gulls' first of two insurance runs in the fifth as the junior speedster roped a two-out single up the middle, and advanced to second on a passed ball. DeMilt then came around to score later in the frame on Hopgood's infield single to short by hustling all the way from second base to home on the play, standing up, and also without a throw from Nichols to the plate.
Nichols cut the deficit in half with a pair of RBI singles to left field in the seventh, but Somerville closed the door on just three pitches to push Endicott's home record to 6-1 overall (at the time).
GAME TWO: Endicott 5, Nichols 0
Maggie Oram (Lexington, Mass.) earned the win (8-1) in relief on seven innings pitched, one hit, no runs, one walk, and a game-high nine strikeouts. Oram entered the game with no outs and the bases loaded in the first and promptly struck out the side (all swinging) to escape the jam for the Gulls.
Meanwhile, Jessica Soucie (Athol, Mass.) was the dealt the loss via six innings, eight hits, five runs (three earned), three walks, and two strikeouts.
DeMilt highlighted the Gulls' efforts in game two with a 3-for-3 showing at the plate to go along with one run scored, an RBI, and a stolen base.
WHAT'S NEXT
Endicott (20-4, 8-2 CCC) travels to Western New England this Saturday for a pair of conference games beginning at 12 PM. Nichols (11-14-1, 4-9-1 CCC) hosts Salve Regina this Saturday at 12/2 PM.
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(Photo Credit - David Le '10)