Softball Powers Past Southern Vermont College, 9-6 and 10-7

BENNINGTON, Vt. – The Elms College softball team earned a pair of New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) victories over Southern Vermont College, 9-6 and 10-7 on Saturday afternoon in Bennington, Vt.

With the wins, Elms improves to 5-9 on the season, 2-0 in NECC play, while Southern Vermont falls to 3-13 overall, 0-2 in conference action.

In the opener, Elms pounded out 13 hits including a 3 for 4 effort from sophomore second baseman Ali Bonavita (Agawam, Mass.) and sophomore third baseman Hayley Zisk (Baldwinville, Mass.). Both players also drove in four runs and scored twice, while Zisk cracked a three-run homer in the top of the fourth inning for her first collegiate round-tripper.

Bonavita added a pair of two-run doubles, while Zisk added a run-scoring double to help spark the Blazers' offensive surge.

Sophomore designated player Abby Capone (Fitchburg, Mass.) added two hits in the game, while junior center fielder Leah Spring (South Hadley, Mass.) also notched two hits and scored a run.

Senior pitcher Courtney Hampton (Westfield, Mass.) (3-4) was effective on the mound, allowing just two earned runs (six runs total) while striking out nine batters to seal the win.

Southern Vermont trailed by six (9-3) heading into the seventh and plated three runs but could get no closer. The Mountaineers were led by two-hit outings from Alyssa Davis (Lyndonville, Vt.) and Shelby Jones (Hoosic Falls, N.Y.) who each also drove in a pair of runs.

Haley McDonald (Latham, N.Y.) suffered the loss in the circle to fall to 3-6, but struck out five.