Softball Falls 11-5 To New Jersey City University And 12-0 To Ohio Wesleyan University

CAPE CORAL, Fla. – The Elms College softball team fell 11-5 to New Jersey City University and 12-0 to Ohio Wesleyan University in Wednesday's Gene Cusic Classic action in Cape Coral, Fla.

With the losses, Elms moves to 2-6 overall.

New Jersey City 11, Elms 5

In the opening game, New Jersey City jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning.

Elms answered when sophomore third baseman Rachel Butt (Agawam, Mass.) reached on a fielder's choice, and sophomore catcher Sarah Buckley (Wilbraham, Mass.) drew a free pass as both eventually came around to score, pulling the Blazers to within two runs at 4-2.

The Gothic Knights plated two more in the second and Elms scored one in the bottom half of the frame to set the score to 6-3 before New Jersey City extended the lead to four at 7-3 with a run in the top of the fifth.

After the Gothic Knights scored a run in the top of the sixth, the Blazers responded in the home half of the sixth frame as sophomore center fielder Leah Spring (South Hadley, Mass.) and senior pitcher Destinee Meeker (Bantam, Conn.) each singled and then scored to make the score 8-5.

New Jersey City then used a three-run seventh frame to post an 11-5 lead and retired Elms in order in the bottom of the stanza to seal the victory.

Ohio Wesleyan 12, Elms 0 (5 innings)

Ohio Wesleyan pitcher Amanda Barker (Granville, Ohio) was tremendous in the nightcap, facing one over the minimum tossing a no-hit shutout as the Battling Bishops cruised to an 11-0 win in five innings.

Barker recorded nine punch-outs and struck out the side in the fourth to help Ohio Wesleyan pick up the win.

The victory was highlighted offensively by a five-run fifth frame.

Elms returns to non-conference action on Saturday, March 19 when it hosts Johnson State College in a doubleheader at Cheryl R. Condon Field beginning at 1:00 p.m.