Softball Sweeps Past Bay Path College, 9-1, 5-1

Box Scores

CHICOPEE, Mass. – Elms College senior pitcher Destinee Meeker (Bantam, Conn.) struck out three in six innings in game one and junior pitcher Courtney Hampton (Westfield, Mass.) tossed five strikeouts in seven innings of game two to help lift the Blazers to a doubleheader sweep of Bay Path College in Saturday afternoon's New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) softball action at Cheryl R. Condon Field.

Elms won the first game 9-1 in six innings and followed that with a 5-1 victory in game two to improve to 10-9 overall, 4-0 in NECC action. Bay Path falls to 7-9 on the season, 1-3 in league play.

Elms 9, Bay Path 1 (6 innings)

Leading 1-0 in the bottom of the second, Elms loaded the bases with one out for junior shortstop Jenna Lipscomb (Cambridge, Mass.) who cracked a two-RBI single down the left field line and advanced to second on a misplay by Bay Path allowing the third run to come home, giving the Blazers a 4-0 advantage.

The Wildcats cut into the lead in the top of the third when Nicole Dexter (Delanson, N.Y.) grounded out to second with the bases loaded, scoring Keelin Dougherty (Northfield, N.H.) who had reached base on an error by Elms' outfield earlier in the frame.

An RBI double to left field off the bat of junior left fielder Marlene DiRaimo (Cranston, R.I.) scored freshman designated player Kellie McLaughlin (Pittsfield, Mass.) in the bottom of the fifth to give Elms a 5-1 lead, before the Blazers tacked on four more in the bottom of the sixth to earn its mercy-rule victory.

The four-run stanza was highlighted by a two-run double to left field by sophomore third baseman Rachel Butt (Agawam, Mass.) and a run-scoring single by freshman first baseman Allyson Witaszek (Feeding Hills, Mass.) that plated McLaughlin and sophomore catcher Sarah Buckley (Wilbraham, Mass.) who came around to score when the Wildcats were called for interference to end the contest.

Lipscomb, McLaughlin, Witaszek and DiRaimo each had two hits in the game, while Meeker improved to 5-4 in the circle.

Bay Path starter Alex Putnam (Topsfield, Mass.) suffered the loss and moves to 3-5 on the season.

Elms 5, Bay Path 1

Elms scored a run in the bottom of the first inning of game two to get the game started when Butt reached on a two-out error, stole second and raced home on a single up the middle by Buckley.

The Blazers extended its lead to 3-0 when DiRaimo earned a one-out free pass, sprinted to third on a single to center by junior second baseman Jennifer Killion (Cambridge, Mass.) and then stole home. Killion stole second and then moved to third on an error by the catcher before crossing the plate on a sacrifice fly by Hampton.

Elms added two more in the bottom of the third when Lipscomb led off the frame with a double to left field and then scored on a one-out three-bagger to right by Buckley. A base knock up the middle by freshman designated player Isaira Caraballo (Springfield, Mass.) lifted the Blazers' lead to 5-0.

Bay Path answered with a run in the top of the fourth when Kaitlin Begin (Weare, N.H.) and Dexter laced back-to-back singles to lead off the inning. A one-out base hit by Emily Serrano (North Adams, Mass.) loaded the bases for Jessica Priestly (Middleboro, Mass.) who delivered an RBI groundout before Hampton fired a strikeout to retire the side without further damage.

The sides ended the game with three scoreless innings of softball as Elms held on for a 5-1 victory.

Buckley highlighted the game-two effort going 3 for 3 with two RBI and a run scored while Hampton improved to 5-5 in the circle allowing just 1 run on eight hits.

Dexter and Serrano had two hits each in the losing effort for Bay Path, while Dougherty suffered the loss in game two and falls to 4-4 overall.

Elms is back in action on Sunday with an NECC doubleheader at Daniel Webster College beginning at 12:00 p.m.