Softball Earns Crucial Doubleheader Split With Husson
SOFTBALL EARNS DRAMATIC SPLIT OF NAC DOUBLEHEADER WITH HUSSON
CHICOPEE, MA, April 20, 2008 - Elms
College senior pitcher/designated player Tammie Tremblay
(Springfield, MA) went a combined 4 for 7 with three RBI,
and the Blazers rallied for five runs in their final at-bat in the
second game to earn a crucial split of Sunday's North Atlantic
Conference (NAC) doubleheader with Husson College at Condon Field.
Husson posted a 4-3 eight-inning victory in game one, but Elms College fought back to post a thrilling 9-8 win in the second game.
With the split, Elms College improved to 14-13 overall and remained in seventh place in the NAC standings at 7-7. The top eight teams advance to the NAC Tournament, which begins on Tuesday, April 29.
Husson (20-10, 15-3 NAC), which stands in fourth place in the NAC, had a five-game win streak snapped and fell for just the third time in its last 20 games.
After rallying for two runs in both the seventh and eighth innings to win game one, the Eagles appeared destined for their first-ever sweep over the Blazers.
Trailing 8-4 with one out in the seventh, the Blazers began their improbable rally when Tremblay singled through the left side and sophomore left fielder Kim Lastowski (Turners Falls, MA) followed with a double to center field.
Junior center fielder Danielle LaPlante (Randolph, VT) then followed with a two-run single up the middle to cut the Blazers' deficit to 8-6.
A force-out of LaPlante on a fielders choice by sophomore third baseman Allyson Graffum (Ipswich, MA) had the Blazers down to their final out, but freshman pinch hitter Destinee Meeker (Bantam, CT) and freshman right fielder Alison McBride (East Providence, RI) then drew consecutive walks to load the bases.
An infield error on the ensuing play plated both Graffum and freshman pinch runner Andrea Ramsdell (Gardner, MA) to tie the game at 8-8.
McBride then scored on a passed ball to plate the winning run and cap off the Blazers' dramatic comeback.
In game one, Tremblay delivered a RBI sacrifice fly in the third inning to give Elms College a 1-0 lead.
The Blazers held the one-run lead into the seventh, but the Eagles plated a pair of runs on a RBI single through the left side by junior first baseman Shannon Pietras (Lincoln, ME) and a RBI fielders choice by freshman left fielder Dorothy Cameron (South Plainfield, NJ) to take a 2-1 lead.
Elms College capitalized on an infield error to plate the game-tying run and send the game to extra innings.
Senior shortstop Carolyn McAvoy (Brewer, ME) delivered the knockout blow for the Eagles with a two-run double in the top of the eighth.
Tremblay got one back with a RBI single in the bottom of the eighth, but the Blazers were unable to plate the equalizer.
Husson freshman pitcher Tammie Arsenault (Gorham, ME) was outstanding for the Eagles in game one, as she allowed no earned runs over eight innings to earn the victory.
Elms College returns to conference play with a crucial doubleheader at Bay Path on Wednesday, April 23. Game one is 3:30 p.m.