Late-inning rallies lead Endicott past Curry

Posted: Apr 23, 2008

April 23, 2008

MILTON, Mass. - The Endicott College softball team rallied late in both games to sweep Curry College in a doubleheader on Wednesday in Milton, Mass. The Gulls won game one by the score of 7-3 before taken the second game 6-2.

The Gulls built a 3-0 lead in game one, getting RBI from sophomore Sarah Spaziano (Norton, Mass.) in the second inning and a two-run homer from Merry MacDonald (Braintree, Mass.) in the fourth.

The Colonels came back in the bottom of the fourth scoring three errors to tie the score. Endicott committed three errors on the first four plays of the inning, opening the door for a two-run double by junior Christina Sancinito (Wakefield, Mass.).

The score remained locked as the game moved into the seventh inning with Endicott coming to bat. Senior Paula McGinn (Lynn, Mass.) led off with a double and moved to third on a bunt single by sophomore Jenna Lazar (Milton, Mass.). After a ground out by Danielle Sargent (Sabattus, Maine) drove in McGinn to snap the tie, senior Rachel Pearson (Gales Ferry, Conn.) and junior Meghan Sargent (Salisbury, Mass.) smacked back-to back home runs to put the Gulls up for good, 7-3.

Senior pitcher Jenn Elwell (Tewksbury, Mass.) went the distance for the Endicott win, improving her record to 11-3 on the year. Elwell gave up three runs, none of them earned, on just four hits. Rachel Pearson, Meghan Sargent, Merry MacDonald all hit home runs for the Gulls going a combined 5-11 with four runs scored and five RBI.

Katie O'Neill (Braintree, Mass.) took the loss for the Colonels, falling to 13-4 overall. She surrendered seven runs on ten hits while striking out six. Christina Sancinito was 1-3 with two RBI for Curry in the loss. In game two the Colonels scored runs on Endicott errors in both the second and third inning to go up early by a score of 2-0.

The Gulls got one back in the fifth when Curry returned the favor, allowing shortstop Jenna Lazar to come home on an error.

Endicott tied the game in the fifth when Paula McGinn hit a triple to drive home Sarah Spaziano. McGinn then came home with the go-ahead run on an RBI single by Lazar to put the Gulls up 3-2.

The Gulls scored for a third consecutive inning in the seventh, getting three runs on three hits including a two-run double by junior Dottie Bartsch (Salisbury, Mass.) and an RBI single from McGinn. The Gulls went on to win by a score of 6-2.

Sophomore Maria Mangine (Lockport, N.Y.) earned the win for Endicott improving to 12-1 for the season. She went all seven innings giving up two runs, both unearned, on six hits. Second baseman Sarah Spaziano led the Gulls offensively going 3-3 with a walk and two runs scored. Freshman Amanda Peters (East Bridgewater, Mass.) got the loss for he Colonels evening her record at 6-6. She surrendered three runs on 12 hits in 5 2/3 innings. Catcher Lauren Tobey (Lynn, Mass) had two hits and a run scored in the loss.

The sweep improves the Gulls record to 33-4 overall and 20-2 in the TCCC. Curry falls to 24-14 on the season and 16-6 in conference play. Endicott will play again on Friday, traveling to Newport, R.I. to take on Salve Regina University in a TCCC doubleheader. Game times are scheduled for 4:00 and 6:00 p.m.