Softball Sweeps Southern Vermont
SOFTBALL SWEEPS SOUTHERN VERMONT
CHICOPEE, MA, April 26, 2009 - Junior second baseman Ally Graffum (Ipswich, MA) and sophomore center fielder Alison McBride (East Providence, RI) each went a combined 3 for 5 with three RBI and freshman pitcher Courtney Hampton (Westfield, MA) tossed her first collegiate-career perfect game in the nightcap to lead the Blazers to 15-0 and 11-0 five-inning, mercy-rule victories over Southern Vermont in Sunday's New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) softball doubleheader at Condon Field.
With the sweep, Elms College concludes the regular season 17-12 overall and finished second in the NECC at 14-2. The Blazers will now await seedings for this week's six-team NECC Tournament.
Southern Vermont concluded its season on a five-game losing streak and finished 3-24, 1-14 NECC.
After rolling in the first game, the Blazers rode the arm of Hampton, who retired all 15 batters she faced - five via strikeout - to post her first collegiate-career perfect game and run her record to a team-best 8-4 on the year.
Elms College led just 1-0 heading into the fourth on a first inning RBI single by McBride.
The Blazers sealed the sweep with a 10-run fourth inning, highlighted by a three-run triple by Graffum. Elms College sent a total of 16 batters to the plate in the inning.
In game one, Southern Vermont freshman center fielder Kayla Whitman (Bennington, VT) reached on an infield error to begin the game to spoil the perfect-game bid for Elms College sophomore pitcher Ani Ramsdell (Gardner, MA), who retired the final 15 batters she faced in order - eight via strikeout - en route to her seventh win of the year.
Southern Vermont senior pitcher Danielle Tischer (Salem, CT) was victimized by poor defensive plays in both games, as the Mountaineers committed a combined seven errors. Tischer was tagged for just six earned runs on the afternoon.