April 1, 2008

Game 1 Box Score - Game 2 Box Score

BEVERLY, Mass. - The Endicott College softball team swept both games of a doubleheader in their home opener against Roger Williams University on Tuesday in Beverly, Mass. The Gulls won both games by identical 6-1 scores.

In the first game, the Gulls jumped out to a 1-0 lead when junior Casey Shanley (Billerica, Mass./Billerica Memorial), who originally got on base by taking a pitch off the helmet, eventually came home on a wild pitch.

Endicott got two more runs in the fourth, as Shanley came through again with a two-out RBI single that scored pinch-runner Dani Hill (Fryeburg, Maine/Fryeburg Academy) and moved pitcher Maria Mangine (Lockport, N.Y./Lockport) to third. Shanley then took off for second, staying in a run-down long enough for Mangine to scamper home with another EC run.

The Hawks battled back in the top of the fifth when senior Callie Nealon (Hopkinton, Mass./Hopkinton) got things started with a leadoff single. Nealon moved to third on consecutive ground outs, and was then driven home by a clutch two-out RBI single from junior Christine Bean (Southampton, Mass./Hampshire), cutting the EC lead to 3-1.

The Gulls immediately responded in the bottom half of the inning, erupting for three runs. Merry MacDonald (Braintree, Mass./Braintree) started things off with a base hit, and wasted no time in stealing second. MacDonald would come home on an RBI double down the leftfield line off the bat of shortstop Jenna Lazar (Milton, Mass./Milton). Senior Danielle Sargent (Sabattus, Maine/Oak Hill) and junior Meghan Sargent (Salisbury, Mass/Triton Regional) both added RBI singles before the inning was over, extending the Endicott lead to 6-1.

Maria Mangine shut the Hawks down the rest of the way, finishing her fifth straight complete game. Mangine is now a perfect 5-0 on the season with a stellar 0.66 ERA. She gave up one run on just four hits while striking out five batters in seven innings.

Alexandra Sera (Newton, Mass./Newton North) took the loss for the Hawks, falling to 2-6 on the season. Catcher Christine Bean led the way for Roger Williams offensively going 1-2 with an RBI.

The Gulls were paced offensively by Merry MacDonald who collected two hits in three at bats with a run scored. Jenna Lazar also had a solid day at the plate, going 1-2 with an RBI double, a walk, and a run scored.

It was more of the same from the Gulls in the second game, as they jumped out in front 2-0 on back-to-back solo home runs from senior Rachel Pearson (Gales Ferry, Conn./Ledyard) and junior Meghan Sargent.

After getting another run in the third on an RBI single from shortstop Jenna Lazar, the blue and green would strike for two more in the fifth, as they rallied for three straight hits with two out and nobody on. Sophomore Taylor Sevigny (Fitchburg, Mass./St.Bernard's) sparked the rally with a double to left, and was driven home on a triple to center by the speedy Paula McGinn (Lynn, Mass./Lynn Classical). McGinn was followed by sophomore Megan Downey who drove her home with an RBI single up the middle, making the score 5-0.

The Gulls would go on to win by a final score of 6-1.

Senior pitcher Jenn Elwell (Tewksbury, Mass./Shawsheen Tech), who had battled out of trouble all day, had her shutout broken up in the seventh inning before finally nailing down the victory. Elwell improved to 4-2 on the season while giving up just one run on nine hits over seven strong innings.

Freshman starter Stephanie Collins took the loss in the second game, dropping her overall record to 1-1. She surrendered six runs on eleven hits in six innings of work. Leftfielder Michelle Caprice (Oak Ridge, N.J./Pope John XXIII) stood out for the Hawks going 3-4 with a run scored in the loss.

The Gulls were led offensively by Paula McGinn who was 2-3 with an RBI and two runs scored, including a triple. Jenna Lazar and Rachel Pearson also added two hits a piece, while Meghan Sargent and Pearson both had home runs in the win.

With the sweep Endicott improves to 3-1 in the TCCC and 11-2 overall. Roger Williams falls to 2-4 in the conference and 7-11 overall. The Gulls will be back in action on Saturday when they take on Regis College in a double header at home in Beverly, Mass. Game times are scheduled for 12:00 and 2:00 p.m.