Softball Picks Up First Victory of Season
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Elms | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 11 | 1 |
|
Eastern Nazarene | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Wisconsin Lutheran | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 1 |
|
Elms | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
Chris Kendrick (@CKendrick86)
FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Elms College softball team registered their first victory of the season, splitting a pair of non-conference games Tuesday afternoon at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic. The Blazers opened the day with a 9-1 victory over Eastern Nazarene, and battled to a 5-2 loss against Wisconsin Lutheran in the night cap.
After a scoreless first inning, the Blazers cracked the scoreboard in the top of the second as senior Rachel Beery (Springfield, Mass.) knocked a leadoff double, and scored on an RBI single from junior Taylor Skinner (South Windsor, Conn.). Junior Kierstan Skinner (South Windsor, Conn.) followed her sister's effort with an RBI double to score senior Beth Grimes (Terryville, Conn.) from third, staking Elms to a 2-0 lead.
Eastern Nazarene cut the Blazers advantage to one run with an RBI single from sophomore Shelby Bass (Visalia, Calif.) in the bottom of the third. Elms responded with a three-run fourth inning, led off by an RBI single from senior Jennifer Bouvier (Mashpee, Mass.). Bouvier advanced on a walk, stole third, and then scored on a wild pitch. With two outs, the Lions attempted to pickoff Taylor Skinner at third, but the ball was misplayed by junior Sterling Germani (North Kingstown, R.I.), allowing Skinner to scamper home, extending the Blazers lead to 5-1.
Elms plated a run in the fifth as Berry raced home on a pop up to second base from Bouvier. The Blazers closed the game out with three runs in the seventh. Sophomore Kacey Gifford (Suffield, Conn.) ripped a two-run double to drive in Bouvier and freshman Elizabeth Olszewski (Canterbury, Conn.), sending Elms to the 9-1 win.
Grimes (1-0) registered her first win of the season, surrendering one run on six hits with seven strikeouts in a complete game effort, her third of the season. Eastern Nazarene senior Carissa Cicolini (1-3; Methuen, Mass.) took the loss, allowing nine runs, five earned, on 11 hits with five strikeouts in her fourth complete game of the season.
Against Wisconsin Lutheran, the Blazers jumped to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning behind an RBI groundout from Grimes and an RBI single from Olszewski. The Warriors pulled even in the third behind an RBI sac bunt from junior Emily Held (Burlington, Wis.) and sophomore Kaitlyn Robinson (Andalusia, Ill.) scoring on a wild pitch.
Wisconsin Lutheran took control in the fourth, scoring on a scrifice fly from junior Tara Degl'Innocenti (Lisle, Ill.), followed by Robinson knocking an RBI single to third base. Robinson would score on an error by the Blazers, giving the Warriors a 5-2 lead. Warrior freshman Sadie Schmidt (Kenosha, Wis.) shut down the Blazers over the final three innings, allowing just one hit with a strikeout, securing the 5-2 win for Wisconsin Lutheran.
The Blazers move to 1-5 on the season, while Eastern Nazarene sits at 1-4, and Wisconsin Lutheran is 3-3 overall. Elms will return to action for their final day of competition at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic. The Blazers will face Alverno at 9:00 a.m., followed by a tilt with Emory & Henry at 11:00 a.m.
ELMS SOFTBALL
