WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – The Endicott softball team traveled to Williams for the New England Regional Round of the NCAA Division III Softball Tournament. The Ephs defeated the Gulls 6-0 to advance into the 11:00 AM contest against the reigning national champions #1 Tufts. With the loss in the double elimination tournament Endicott will face Lesley, tomorrow at 1:30 PM. Endicott falls to 25-12-1 while the Ephs improve to 25-11.
Endicott earned an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament after earning the programs 10th Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) title last weekend. Entering the matchup today Williams was ranked #2 in the New England region coming in ahead of nationally ranked #1 Tufts. Lesley, earning a spot in the regional after claiming the NECC title for an automatic bid, fell to the Jumbos earlier this afternoon 9-1 to join Endicott with a single loss in the tournament. In the matchup between the Gulls and the Lynx tomorrow one of the two will be eliminated from the national tournament with the winner facing the loser of the Tufts and Williams contest which will take place tomorrow, May 9th at 4:00 PM.
Senior Nell O'Connor (Harwich, Mass.) (13-3) controlled the circle for five innings for the Gulls as the pitcher retired four by strikeouts. Teammate, sophomore Katherine Clark (Taunton, Mass.) came in on the relief in the sixth and faced four batters and allowed zero hits. Their counterpart junior Emma Harrington (Columbus, Ohio) hurled a complete game for the Ephs earning the shutout victory and improving to 13-7 on the season.
Senior Kelley Michael (Ipswich, Mass.) posted a stellar defensive game leading with 11 putouts and forcing a clutch double play and some other impressive outs at first base.
After two scoreless innings the Ephs took an early 2-0 lead over the Blue and Green after a pair of RBIs by senior Ali Graebner (Short Hills, N.J.) and sophomore Priscilla Pino (Cerritos, Calif.). Graebner brought in the first RBI of the game after she singled up the middle to send senior Theresa Legan (New Milford, Conn.) home. Pino then earned an RBI off a fielder's choice to advanced sophomore Erica Li (Salt Lake City, Utah) home.
Williams was on their way to a third run in the inning but after a crisp double play by Michael and freshman Rachel Couto (Chelmsford, Mass.) Endicott ended the inning trailing by just two runs. Endicott kept Williams off the board for the next two innings but struggled to find their offensive niche leaving four on base combined in the fifth and sixth inning.
In the bottom of the sixth the Ephs scored their insurance runs bringing three across home plate to secure the 6-0 victory and a place in the winner's bracket of the regional tournament.
Seniors Alex Moise (North Reading, Mass.) and Jess Linden (Stratford, Conn.) along with sophomores Jaime Corda (Higganum, Conn.), Emily Hoffman (Malden, Mass.) and Sam DiBella (Danvers, Mass.) and freshman Chrissy Gikas (Danvers, Mass.) all earned hits for the Blue and Green in today's regional matchup.
