Softball Sweeps by Regis College, 2-0 and 6-2

WESTON, Mass. – Elms College sophomore pitcher Jessica Colson (Agawam, Mass.) pitched a two-hit, complete-game shutout in game one and senior catcher Sarah Buckley (Wilbraham, Mass.) was 3 for 4 with two runs scored in game two as the Blazers posted New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) wins of 2-0 and 6-2 over Regis College on Sunday afternoon at Regis Stadium in Weston, Mass.

With the wins, Elms improves to 9-12 overall, 8-4 in conference action, while Regis moves to 9-17 on the season, 5-7 in league play.

Elms 2, Regis 0

In the opener, Colson was terrific in the circle allowing just two hits – both in the second inning – and struck out seven batters. Jill Bruning (Medford, Mass.) and Katie Cuozzo (Lynn, Mass.) connected for back-to-back singles but the Pride did not have a runner go past second in the contest.

Elms' senior center fielder Leah Spring (South Hadley, Mass.) singled through the right side to start the game and later scored on an RBI base hit to right field by Buckley to give the Blazers a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.

Spring blasted a one-out triple to left field in the top of the third and came home on an RBI groundout bunt by senior second baseman Alexandra Bonavita (Agawam, Mass.) to increase Elms' lead to 2-0.

Regis' starting pitcher Haley Fountain (Warren, Mass.) kept the Blazers' offense at bay the rest of the contest finishing with seven strikeouts and allowing just five hits in the complete-game loss.

Colson earned the win to improve to 3-5 overall, while Fountain moves to 5-7 on the season.

Buckley finished 3 for 3 at the plate and Spring was 2 for 2 with two runs scored.

Elms 6, Regis 2

In game two, Regis took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on an infield single by Cuozzo and Elms answered to level the game when freshman shortstop Taylor Skinner (South Windsor, Conn.) tripled in Buckley to make it a 1-1 game.

A single through the left side off the bat of Samantha Bliss (Framingham, Mass.) again gave the Pride a one-run lead at 2-1 which it held until the sixth inning.

The Blazers used an RBI single to shortstop by sophomore Caitlee Carrier (Charlestown, Mass.), and then plated four runs on a pair of Regis errors to set the score at 6-2.

An infielder single by Bruning in the bottom of the seventh and a walk issued to Cuozzo gave the Pride two on and one out, but a fly out and a foul out ended the threat and completed the sweep for Elms.

Elms' freshman pitcher Jamie Miner (Chicopee, Mass.) scattered seven hits and struck out one batter in five innings of relief work to earn the victory and improve to 4-2 on the season, while Cuozzo pitched three innings in reserve and struck out three batters but suffered the loss to move to 4-8 on the season.

Buckley finished 3 for 4 at the plate with two runs scored and senior third baseman Rachel Butt (Agawam, Mass.) had two hits in the game for the Blazers

Bliss, Bruning, Cuozzo and Kirbie Garvey (Littleton, Mass.) each delivered two hits for Regis in the losing effort.

Elms is back in action on Wednesday, April 17 when it hosts Smith College in non-conference play at 4:30 p.m. at Cheryl R. Condon Field.