Elms Softball Drops Double-Header Against Lesley To Open NECC Play

CHICOPEE, Mass. – The Elms College softball team opened New England Collegiate Conference play against Lesley on Saturday but the Blazers were unable to salvage a win in the double-header, falling 4-2, and 9-0.

Elms drops to 3-7 overall and 0-2 in NECC play with the two losses, while Lesley improves to 7-3 and 2-0 in league play.

GAME 1 – Lesley 4, Elms 2
The Blazers and Lynx were in a tight battle throughout game one and the Elms offense showed promise early. The Blazers loaded the bases in the first two innings but were unable to get a run across the plate, and the game entered the third inning with no score.

Elms quickly got the first two Lynx batters in the top of the third inning before Lesley staged a two-out rally. Three consecutive hits, capped by back-to-back doubles, left Lesley leading 2-0.

Elms loaded the bases for the third time in the game in the bottom of the fourth inning, and Madison Messier cut into the Lesley lead when her ground ball allowed pinch runner Aemilia Rivera to score and cut the deficit to 2-1.

Lesley's Courtney Goggin hit a solo home run and Jordan Day picked up an RBI single in the top of the fifth to put the Lynx ahead 4-1, but Elms was quick to respond with a scrappy bottom half of the fifth. Jeszy McGuire reached first after a dropped third strike and Kayla Doherty reached on a Lesley error. After a ground out and a walk, Elms had the bases loaded for the fourth time in the game with just one out. Raeanna Tumel walked in a run to make it 4-2. However, back-to-back ground balls which led to force outs at home ended the inning, and Lesley was able to hold off the Blazers in the sixth and seventh for the 4-2 win.

Katelyn Sylvia, Catharine Wrang and Elizabeth Olszewski each picked up at hit for the Blazers in the game. Riley Pickett led Lesley offensively, going 3-for-4 at the plate and driving in a run. Day went 2-for-3 and picked up two RBIs.

GAME 2 – Lesley 9, Elms 0
Lesley jumped on Elms early and never let up, cruising to a 9-0 win to cap off the double-header. A three-run home run from Day in the top of the first inning put the Lynx ahead 3-0. Lesley added two more runs in the second inning with three consecutive doubles to build the lead to 5-0. The Lynx added a run in the fourth inning and Day capped the scoring with her second three-run shot of the game in the seventh for the decisive 9-0 advantage.

After going the first five innings without a hit, the Blazers strung three hits together in the sixth inning, but Lesley got out of the inning unscathed after Wrang and Messier were both thrown out trying to advance after Messier's single.

Day struck out nine Blazers in the game and went 2-for-4 at the plate with six RBIs in the game.

Elms will return to action at Smith on March 26 to make-up a non-conference game that was postponed earlier in the week. Lesley will visit Emerson College for a double-header on March 27.