Posted: May 14, 2010
WELLESLEY, Mass. – Salem State College used a two-run seventh-inning rally to defeat Endicott College, 5-3, Friday afternoon in the NCAA Regional Softball Tournament at Wellesley College. Salem State, now 34-9-1 for the season, advances to the loser-bracket quarterfinals on Saturday, May 15th, at 10:00 a.m. Endicott ends its season with a record of 28-12-1.
After two scoreless innings, Salem State got on the board when Gabbie Vitale (Danvers, Mass.) doubled to deep center, stole third, and scampered home on Jess Baird's (Worcester, Mass.) single for a 1-0 advantage. One inning later, the Vikings added to their lead after Lauren Garchinsky (Saugus, Mass.) doubled to left and scored on Christina Cipriani's (Peabody, Mass.) single for a 2-0 lead.
Endicott threatened in the bottom of the fourth as they loaded the bases with no outs, courtesy of two walks and a single from \#Nicole Devlin\# (Dudley, Mass.). But Salem State hurler Katelynn Fanning (East Boston, Mass.) retired three in a row, two by strike out, to hold the Gulls scoreless.
The Vikings added one more in the fifth, with an RBI double from Michelle Grifoni (Peabody, Mass.), but Endicott answered in the bottom of the inning, when \#Jenna Lazar\# (Milton, Mass.) led off with a single and later scored on a fielder's choice. One batter later, \#Merry MacDonald\# (Braintree, Mass.) scored on an illegal pitch to cut the lead to 3-2. In the bottom of the sixth, Lazar's RBI single tied the game at 3-3.
In the top of the seventh, Salem State regained the lead when Garchinsky's single drove in Grifoni for a 4-3 edge. Two batters later, Amanda Scola (Leominster, Mass.) scampered home on a double-steal to secure a 5-3 lead for the Vikings. In the bottom of the inning, the Gulls put two on with no outs, but Fanning combined with Kristen Lojko (Beverly, Mass.) to retire the side for the win.
Grifoni led the Vikings at the plate, with three hits, one RBI, and one run scored. Baird and Garchinsky added two hits each. Lojko recorded the win, her fifth of the season. Fanning was also strong on the mound, allowing five hits and three runs while striking out seven.
For the Gulls, Lazar and Devlin led the attack, each with a pair of hits. \#Jenna Bortolotti\# (Milton, Mass.) shouldered the loss, dropping to 20-7 while surrendering ten hits and five runs in 6.1 innings of work.
Endicott wraps up its season with a 28-12-1 record and its eight-straight NCAA Tournament appearance. The Gulls also captured their eighth-consecutive The Commonwealth Coast Conference Championship two weeks ago in Beverly, Mass.
Release courtesy of Wellesley College Sports Information
