May 6, 2006
BEVERLY, MA - Sophomore designated hitter Rachel Pearson (Gales Ferry, CT/Ledyard) ripped a two-out walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh for Endicott College, which won its fourth straight Commonwealth Coast Conference Championship with a 7-4 triumph over Curry College.
The softball program set a school-record for consecutive CCC titles, breaking the old record previously held by the softball team, men's lacrosse team, men's basketball and women's soccer. EC, which finished the 2005 season as the No. 1 team in the NCAA New England Region, is ranked sixth in the latest NCAA Division III New England Regional Poll.
The top-seeded Gulls (28-13) began the seventh trailing the No. 3 Colonels (26-19) 4-3, but sophomore leadoff hitter Paula McGinn (Lynn, MA/Lynn Classical) delivered a one-out single to spark the rally. After freshman Danielle Sargent (Sabattus, ME/Oak Hill) was retired 6-3 to move McGinn into scoring position with two away, McGinn stole third and CCC Player of the Year Megan Huckins (Bangor, ME/Bangor) fanned the flames of the rally when she beat out a slow roller down the third base line.
That hit plated the McGinn with the tying run and set the table for Pearson's eighth round trip of the season, this one a three-run blast to left that scored Huckins and Meghan Sargent (Salisbury, MA/Triton), who singled to keep the inning alive.
Curry, which defeated Roger Williams (2-1) earlier in the day to reach the tourney final, trailed 2-0 after one inning. After Danielle Sargent ripped a one-out single, Huckins doubled to put runners at second and third. D. Sargent scored on a wild pitch and Meghan Sargent collected her only RBI of the game with a sac fly to right field.
Emily Taylor (Wakefield, MA/Wakefield) cut the EC lead in half in the second thanks to a one-out solo home run to left field. Endicott's Casey Shanley (Billerica, MA/Billerica) answered right back on the third pitch of the bottom of the inning, smoking her second homer of the tourney and sixth of the year to give the hosts a 3-1 advantage.
Savitske got into trouble in the third walking Stacy Berard (Bridgewater, MA/Bridgewater-Raynham) and allowing Katie Darragh (Shelton, CT/St. Joseph's), who was 3-for-4, to single. After an error loaded the bases with no outs, Shena Simone (North Reading, MA/North Reading) and Kim Sturgis (Saugus, MA/Saugus) delivered RBI singles two batters apart. Savitske induced a pop up and a fly out to end the threat but the damage was done and the game was tied at 3-3.
The contest remained even until the top of the seventh when Sturgis (2-for-4) gave the visitors a 4-3 lead on her second RBI single of the night. This time reliever Jackie Collier (Swampscott, MA/Bishop Fenwick) was able to wriggle out of one-out bases loaded jam. After the Sturgis hit, Brittany Nolan (Monroe, CT/Masuk) helped Collier, cutting a runner down at the plate with a fielder's choice and Collier did the rest, inducing another pop out to end the frame and keep the Gulls within striking distance.
Savitske went 5.2 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and one walk before giving way to Collier, who earned her first win of the postseason. Collier pitched the final 1.1 innings of one-hit softball, allowing the one run with two walks and one strikeout.
Curry pitcher Katie O'Neill (Braintree, MA/Fontbonne Academy) was charged with the loss after giving up seven runs (6 earned) on 11 hits while fanning four and walking none. She fell to 8-6 with the loss.
Danielle Sargent capped a brilliant postseason, going 3-for-3 with a run scored from the No. 2 spot in the order. She hit .714 in three CCC tourney games while collecting a pair of doubles and a pair of RBI and a .714 on-base percentage. McGinn and Shanley each had two hits while Shanley added an RBI. The top six batters in the lineup all reached base safely in the win.
In three CCC Tournament games, Huckins hit .444 in the postseason, M. Sargent was at .429 (6 RBI) and McGinn hit .400. As a team, the Gulls hit .347 while holding opponents to .274. Moreover, EC's pitching staff had an ERA of 2.00 while opposing pitchers had a tough time with the potent Endicott lineup. Opponents ERA was 6.00 while the Gulls ripped five home runs (only allowed 1, which was in the final game), five doubles and were slugging .613 as a team in 75 at-bats.
Darragh and Sturgis led the Colonels with three and two hits, respectively, while Lauren Tobey (Lynn, MA/Bishop Fenwick)¸Simone and Taylor each had one hit apiece.
Endicott captured its fourth straight CCC title with only three starters returning from last year's championship team. The Gulls have now appeared in seven straight CCC title games, winning four total crowns.
The NCAA Regional Tournament will be held at sites to be determined from May 11 through the 15th. In years past Endicott's field did not meet the standards required to host the regionals but the new field will allow the Gulls to host the regional round.
