Softball Rallies Past Smith, 7-6
SOFTBALL RALLIES PAST SMITH, 7-6
CHICOPEE, MA, April 2, 2007 - Elms College junior first baseman Christina Giampetruzzi (Westfield, MA) went 3 for 4 with five RBI and freshman designated player Allyson Graffum (Ipswich, MA) drove in the game-winning run in the eighth inning to lift the Blazers to a thrilling 7-6 victory over Smith College in Monday afternoon's non-conference softball game at Dooley Field.
With the win, Elms College snaps a two-game skid and earns its first win against Smith College since a 5-0 shutout victory in 1997 to improve to 2-6 overall. Smith College falls to 6-9 overall.
Trailing 6-3 with one out in the seventh inning, freshman catcher Kim Lastowski (Turners Falls, MA) singled to center field, advanced to second on sophomore left fielder Kerrie Bowden's (Chicopee, MA) fielder's choice.
An infield error following senior shortstop Jen LeDoux's (Easthampton, MA) infield single plated Lastowski to pull the Blazers to within 6-4.
With runners on second and third and two outs, Giampetruzzi then delivered a two-run single to even the contest at 6-6 and send the game to extra innings.
Following a perfect eighth inning by freshman pitcher Alyssa Skewes (Ellington, CT), sophomore center fielder Danielle LaPlante (Randolph, VT) nailed a sacrifice bunt down the first base line to advance junior right fielder Tammie Tremblay (Springfield, MA) to third with the potential game-winning run. Moments later, Graffum provided her heroics as she singled through the left side to end the game.
Freshman third baseman Megan Kiefer (Oak Park, IL) led the way finishing 3 for 5 with and RBI, while senior left fielder Deborah Sasges (Vancouver, CN) added two RBI on sacrifice flies in the losing effort for Smith, which plated five runs in the top of the third to jump out to a 5-1 lead.
Skewes earned her first win of the season with a complete-game, eight-strikeout performance. Bowden went 3 for 4 with three singles, while LeDoux finished 2 for 3 in the winning effort for the Blazers.
Smith sophomore pitcher Emily Hiltzik (Westbury, NY) finished with eight strikeouts in the complete-game loss.
Elms College opens North Atlantic Conference (NAC) play with a doubleheader at Castleton State College on Friday, April 6. Game one is set for 2:00 p.m.