Ten-Run Fifth Inning Lifts Westfield State University to 10-2 Victory Over Softball

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WESTFIELD, Mass. – Elms College senior shortstop Courtney Hampton (Westfield, Mass.) was 1 for 2 with an RBI double, but Westfield State University used a 10-run fifth frame sparked by a pinch-hit grand slam from Emily Mailloux (Erving, Mass.) to help steer the Owls to a 10-2, five-inning victory over the Blazers in Thursday afternoon's non-conference softball game at Alumni Field in Westfield, Mass.

With the loss, Elms falls to 3-8 overall, while Westfield State improves to 6-5 on the season.

Elms took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second when sophomore left fielder Kellie McLaughlin (Pittsfield, Mass.) drove a one-out single up the middle before Hampton connected for a two-out RBI double to left center to notch the first run of the contest.

The Blazers added to their lead in the top of the fifth when sophomore first baseman Ally Witaszek (Feeding Hills, Mass.) led off the inning with a base hit and came around to score on a pair of Westfield State errors to set the score at 2-0.

In the circle, Elms' freshman pitcher Alyson Santerre (Thompson, Conn.) kept Westfield State off the bases allowing just one hit through the first four innings.

In the home half of the frame, the Owls exploded for 10 runs as Bri Eichstaedt (Southampton, Mass.) singled and scored on an infield single by Amanda Flower (Reading, Mass.) before Westfield State loaded the bases for Mailloux who launched a pinch-hit grand slam over the wall in left field to give the Owls a 5-2 lead.

Lisa Policelli (Tewksbury, Mass.) then singled down the left field line and advanced to second on an error and then raced to third on a single by Kelsey Carpenter (Barre, Mass.). Policelli and Carpenter then scored on an Elms throwing error lifting the lead to 7-2 before Eichstaedt walked and the Owls scored two runs on back-to-back doubles by Molly Dunbar (Weymouth, Mass.) and Flower to give Westfield State a 9-2 cushion. Kat Robinson (East Hampton, Conn.) capped the scoring with a single up the middle to plate Flower and seal the 10-2 victory.

Santerre suffered the loss in the circle to fall to 0-3 on the season, while Owls' pitcher Kelley Fluet (Worcester, Mass.) earned the win to improve to 1-1 on the season.

Ten of Westfield State's 11 hits came in the fifth inning as Policelli, Dunbar, Flower and Robinson each finished with two hits in the contest.

Elms returns to non-conference action on Monday, March 26 at Smith College at 4:00 p.m.