WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The Endicott softball team split a pair of games against Franklin & Marshall (W, 10-1; 5 inn.) and No. 20 nationally ranked Babson (L, 4-3) on Sunday evening at DiamondPlex.

GAME ONE: Endicott 10, Franklin & Marshall 1 (5 inn.)

WP (1-0): Maria Hanchuk (South Windsor, Conn.) – 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K
LP (0-1): Kayla Kilmer (Lambertville, N.J.) – 1 1/3 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 0 K

The Gulls scored in every inning to run away with a season-opening victory against Franklin & Marshall.

Chloe Shapleigh (Lynnfield, Mass.) highlighted the three-run first with an RBI single to left field.

Endicott also saw Katie Watts (Swampscott, Mass.), Raven Comtois (Milford, N.H.), and Shapleigh drive in runs (sac fly, double to left, sac fly) to headline the four-run second.

Watts also added an RBI single to center in the third, while Emma DaSilva (Bristol, R.I.) capped the scoring with a two-run double in the fourth.

Watts (2-for-2, 1 R, 2 RBI), DaSilva (2-for-2, 2 R, 2 RBI), and Chrissy Marotto (Southington, Conn.) all finished the contest with two-hit performances (2-for-3, 2 R).

GAME TWO: No. 20 Babson 4, Endicott 3

WP (1-0): Natasha Taubenheim (Westport, Conn.) – 4 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
LP (0-1): Jaylin Couto (Taunton, Mass.) – 6 Ip, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

Tied 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Chloe Joslin (Wyoming, R.I.) lifted a walk-off homer over the left field fence to give the Beavers the win.

Endicott led 1-0 in the first via an RBI single by Comtois and 2-1 in the third on a run-producing base knock from Lauren Misiaszek (Londonderry, N.H.).

Watts also evened the score in the fourth with an RBI single up the middle prior to Joslin's walk-off.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORES

• Endicott is 2-0 all-time against Franklin & Marshall (3/14/2005; W, 6-0, in Florida).
• Babson slid ahead in the all-time series with today's victory, 13-12-1.
• The Gulls are 5-0 in season openers under head coach Katie Bettencourt.

WHAT'S NEXT

Endicott (1-1) takes on Ohio Northern (9 AM) and Framingham State (2 PM) tomorrow in Winter Haven, Florida at DiamondPlex. 

For the latest on Endicott Athletics, follow the Gulls on social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

(Photo Credit - David Le '10)