Softball Sweeps By Newbury College, 8-0 and 12-9

Box Scores

CHICOPEE, Mass. – Elms College sophomore third baseman Rachel Butt (Agawam, Mass.) went a combined 4 for 6 at the dish with four runs scored and a pair of RBI and senior pitcher Destinee Meeker (Bantam, Conn.) tossed a two-hit, five-inning shutout in game one to help the Blazers to a doubleheader sweep of Newbury College in Sunday afternoon's softball action at Cheryl R. Condon Field.

The Blazers won 8-0 in five innings in the first game and followed with a 12-9 win in the nightcap to improve its record to 8-8 on the season, 2-0 in NECC play. Newbury falls to 0-17 overall, 0-2 in league action.

Elms 8, Newbury 0 (5 innings)

In game one, Elms plated a run in the bottom of the first and one again in the fourth before exploding for six in the fifth inning to seal its 8-0 victory.

The inning was highlighted by an RBI single from junior left fielder Marlene DiRaimo (Cranston, R.I.), a run-scoring fielder's choice by freshman designated player Isaira Caraballo (Springfield, Mass.) and a two-run pinch-hit single by freshman Kellie McLaughlin (Pittsfield, Mass.) to give the Blazers its mercy-rule victory.

Meeker was dominant in the circle for Elms, striking out five batters and allowing just two hits en route to her fourth win of the season (4-4).

DiRaimo and Caraballo each had two hits in the game, while DiRaimo and McLaughlin each drove in two runs in the winning effort.

Theresa Hylinski (Statford, Conn.) and Ariel Ross (Gales Ferry, Conn.) had a hit each for Newbury, while starting pitcher Joanna Robie (Andover, Mass.) suffered the loss and falls to 0-7 on the season.

Elms 12, Newbury 9  

Trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the first inning, senior right fielder Alison McBride (East Providence, R.I.) and junior shortstop Jenna Lipscomb (Cambridge, Mass.) connected for back-to-back singles to start the frame with runners on the corners. Lipscomb then stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball allowing McBride to come home with the first run of the inning. An RBI groundout by freshman designated player Hayley Zisk (Baldwinville, Mass.) tied the game at 2-2 before sophomore catcher Sarah Buckley (Wilbraham, Mass.) and Butt added a single and a walk respectively, and then moved into scoring position on a groundout. A wild pitch then allowed Buckley to score, and a base knock by DiRaimo sent Butt to the dish with Elms' fourth tally of the frame before a strikeout allowed Newbury to get out of the inning without further damage.

The Nighthawks answered right back in the top of the second when Robie drove in a run on a fielder's choice, and Teressa Farioli (East Longmeadow, Mass.) later hit a sacrifice fly to even the game at 4-4.

A five-run home-half of the second frame allowed Elms to stake a 9-4 lead thanks to RBI singles from Lipscomb, Buckley, Butt, freshman first baseman Allyson Witaszek (Feeding Hills, Mass.) and junior pitcher Courtney Hampton (Westfield, Mass.).

An RBI double by Butt in the bottom of the third scored Zisk who reached on a double earlier in the inning to extend the Blazers' lead to 10-4 before the Nighthawks scored five runs on five hits and a pair of Elms miscues to pull to within one at 10-9.

The Blazers plated an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth when DiRaimo led off the inning with a three-bagger and came full circle on an RBI groundout by sophomore second baseman Alexandra Bonavita (Agawam, Mass.).

Elms scored its final run of the contest in the fifth when Buckley earned a one-out walk and was pinch-run for by sophomore Jessica Cockshaw (Palmer, Mass.). Cockshaw stole second and advanced to third on an infield hit by Butt before scoring on a groundout by Witaszek to lift the lead to 12-9.

From there, Hampton held Newbury scoreless over the next two innings to seal the win and improve to 4-4 in the circle.

Butt finished 3 for 3 in the game with two runs scored and two RBI, while Buckley, Lipscomb, DiRaimo, Bonavita and Hampton added two hits each.

Hylinski went 3 for 5 for Newbury and Robie, who suffered the loss in game two (0-8), added two hits and two RBI, while Farioli drove in two runs in the losing effort.

Elms will host Western New England College (WNEC) on Wednesday, April 6 at 4:00 p.m. in non-conference action at Cheryl R. Condon Field.