Softball Sweeps By Johnson State College, 7-1 And 2-0

Box Scores

CHICOPEE, Mass. – Elms College sophomore catcher Sarah Buckley (Wilbraham, Mass.) went a combined 3 for 6 with three runs batted in and junior pitcher Courtney Hampton (Westfield, Mass.) tossed a complete-game shutout in the second game to help pace the Blazers to a sweep in Sunday afternoon's non-conference softball doubleheader against Johnson State College at Cheryl R. Condon Field.

Elms won the first game 7-1 before capping the afternoon with a 2-0 win to improve to 4-6 on the season. Johnson State falls to 0-8 overall.

Elms 7, Johnson State 1

Elms struck early, plating three runs in the bottom of the first inning when senior right fielder Alison McBride (East Providence, R.I.) drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on an infield single by sophomore center fielder Leah Spring (South Hadley, Mass.). McBride was retired at third on a fielder's choice by sophomore third baseman Rachel Butt (Agawam, Mass.) before Buckley doubled to right center fielding driving in Spring and Butt giving the Blazers a 2-0 lead. Johnson State hurler Meagan Russ (Burlington, Vt.) fired a strikeout before Elms' freshman first baseman Allyson Witaszek (Feeding Hills, Mass.) delivered a two-out RBI base hit to center sending Buckley home with the third run of the stanza. Freshman designated player Hayley Zisk (Baldwinville, Mass.) added a single, but a pop up to the catcher ended the frame.

The Badgers got a run back in the top of the second when Amber McCullock (Morrisville, Vt.) connected for an infield single and eventually came around on an RBI single by Kayla Golfin (Castleton, Vt.) to set the score at 3-1.

Following a scoreless third and fourth frame, Elms struck for two in the bottom of the fifth as Spring earned a leadoff free pass, stole second and moved to third on a base knock by Butt. Buckley then drove in her third run of the contest with a sacrifice fly to center field to give the Blazers a 4-1 edge. Two batters later, Witaszek tallied a two-out single to give Elms runners on the corners for Zisk who came through with an RBI single to right field before Russ induced an inning-ending fly out to get out of the inning with the score set at 5-1.

Two more runs for the Blazers in the bottom of the sixth, highlighted by an RBI single by Butt and a run scored by Isaira Caraballo (Springfield, Mass.) on a passed ball gave Elms a 7-1 cushion which it would not relinquish.

Buckley, Witaszek and Zisk each went 2 for 3 and Buckley drove in three runs, while Butt finished 2 for 4 with a pair of runs scored.

Senior pitcher Destinee Meeker (Bantam, Conn.) improved to 2-3 in the circle tossing two strikeouts in a complete-game effort.

Russ struck out three batters and suffered the loss for the Badgers, while Golfin went 2 for 3 and had Johnson State's lone RBI in the losing effort.

Elms 2, Johnson State 0

The nightcap saw a scoreless tie through the first 3.5 innings before Elms scored twice in the bottom of the fourth to break the deadlock. Buckley singled through the right side and advanced to second on a one-out walk by Zisk before a fielder's choice gave Elms runners on second and first with two outs. A wild pitch allowed the runners to move for Caraballo who delivered a two-run pinch-hit single to center field scoring Zisk and junior shortstop Amanda Alvarado (Springfield, Mass.) who had reached on the fielder's choice. Russ escaped without further damage thanks to a groundout to end the stanza with Elms ahead, 2-0.

Hampton, who was brilliant in the circle, took a no-hitter into the sixth inning before Emily Sullivan (Hollis, Maine) poked a single into right field. Hampton allowed just three runners to advance as far as second base during the game as she kept the Badgers off the scoreboard to secure the complete-game shutout.

With the win, Hampton improves to 2-3 on the season, highlighted by four strikeouts.

Elms returns to non-conference action on Thursday, March 24 when it hosts Westfield State University in a 4:00 p.m. game at Cheryl R. Condon Field.