Softball Falls to Nichols College, 1-0, and Finlandia University, 8-0

FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Elms College softball team suffered a 1-0, nine-inning loss to Nichols College and a 8-0 loss to Finlandia University in six innings during Tuesday's Gene Cusic Classic action in Fort Myers, Fla.

With the losses, Elms falls to 1-5 on the season.

In the first game against Nichols, Blazers' senior pitcher Courtney Hampton (Westfield, Mass.) tossed five strikeouts and limited the Bison's offense to just six hits, while Nichols' starting pitcher Molly Ferraro (Millis, Mass.) fanned 10 batters and allowed just six hits in a pitcher's duel.

With the score knotted at 0-0 after 8.5 innings, the Bison cross the dish with one out when Chelsea Correia (Seekonk, Mass.) laced an RBI double plating Rachel Dalrymple (Belvidere, N.J.) who was placed on second to begin the frame.

Elms' senior right fielder Jen Killion (Cambridge, Mass.), junior designated hitter Sarah Buckley (Wilbraham, Mass.), sophomore first baseman Ally Witaszek (Feeding Hills, Mass.), sophomore third baseman Hayley Zisk (Baldwinville, Mass.) and freshman left fielder Ashley Reid (Enfield, Conn.) each had a single in the loss for the Blazers.

Against Finlandia, Buckley broke up a perfect game attempt by Lions' pitcher Brittany Garland (Long Beach, Calif.) who also finished with two strikeouts in six innings of work in the circle.

Finlandia tallied five runs in the second inning, two in the fifth and one in the sixth to complete its 8-0 mercy-rule victory.

Elms' freshman pitcher Elizabeth Patient (Leicester, Mass.) pitched the first five innings and registered two strikeouts, before being lifted in place of classmate Alyson Santerre (Thompson, Conn.) who issued two strikeouts in the sixth inning.

Softball concludes Cusic Classic action on Wednesday, March 14 with a 9:00 a.m. game against Richard Stockton University and an 11:00 p.m. tilt with St. Lawrence University.