Grimes No Hits Daniel Webster in Doubleheader Sweep

Chris Kendrick (@CKendrick86)

CHICOPEE, Mass. – The Elms College softball squad pushed their win streak to six straight games with a sweep of visiting Daniel Webster College in a New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) doubleheader at Cheryl R. Condon Field Saturday afternoon. The Blazers captured an 8-0 win in six innings in game one, followed by an 8-0 win in five innings in the nightcap.

With the wins, Elms improves to 7-9 on the season, and 6-2 in NECC play, while Daniel Webster falls to 4-6 overall, and 2-4 in the NECC.

Blazers senior pitcher Bethany Grimes (Terryville, Conn.) was brilliant from the pitching circle in game one, stifling the Eagles batters for her first career no-hitter. Elms grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second behind an RBI single from senior Rachel Beery (Springfield, Mass.). In the third, the Blazers extended their lead on an RBI groundout from freshman Elizabeth Olszewski (Canterbury, Conn.), followed by a two-run inside-the-park home run from senior Gina DiGiovanni (Springfield, Mass.) to make it a 4-0 game. The Blazers bats stayed hot in the fifth as sophomore Tessa Cote (Granby, Mass.) ripped a single to left field, where the ball was misplayed by the outfielder, allowing DiGiovanni and Cote to score for the Blazers. Elms put the game away in the sixth with an RBI double from junior Kierstan Skinner (South Windsor, Conn.) and an RBI fielder's choice from DiGiovanni, securing the 8-0 win in six innings.

Grimes (4-4) matched her season-high of 11 strikeouts in the no-hit effort. Kierstan Skinner and Tessa Cote recorded three hits each. DiGiovanni knocked in three runs, while Olszewski drove in a pair. Daniel Webster senior pitcher Sarah Durocher (Keene, N.H.) gave up eight runs, five earned, on 10 hits with a strikeout.

In the night cap, the Blazers dented the scoreboard in the bottom of the second with RBI singles from junior Samantha Alvino (Holtsville, N.Y.) and Skinner, along with an RBI triple from junior Taylor Skinner (South Windsor, Conn.), to stake Elms to a 3-0 lead. In the third, Alvino lined an RBI double down the left field line, and then came around to score on an RBI single from Alvino. Taylor Skinner raced home after Durocher uncorked a wild pitch on ball four to Kierstan Skinner, giving the Blazers a 6-0 advantage. Alvino struck again for Elms in the seventh with an RBI double down the left field line, pushed the Blazers lead to 7-0. Elms locked up the 8-0 win in the sixth on an RBI double from sophomore Kacey Gifford (Suffield, Conn.) to give the Blazers the doubleheader sweep over Daniel Webster.

Elms senior pitcher Jessica Colson (3-4; Agawam, Mass.) delivered her top performance of the season, holding the Eagles to just two hits in five innings of work and matched a season-high with nine strikeouts. Alvino went 3-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored, while Gifford and Taylor Skinner had two hits apiece. Durocher surrendered eight runs, six earned, on 12 hits with two strikeouts.

"I think we kept our composure today and hit the ball really well," said Elms Head Coach Cheryl Condon. "Sometime it's a game of adjustments, and we came out a little late hitting, but the no-hitter Beth Grimes in the first game, and Jess [Colson] being so efficient on the mound today helped. Our pitching and defense has been holding strong, and today our hitting finally came around. We put together a string of hits, and we found some good gaps, so it's good to take two more in conference. We did a good of adjusting at the plate, and we did a good job of moving runners, but our left on base stat was higher than I'd like it to be. For us, tomorrow will be two good games, and we are ready to go. It's nice to have another home doubleheader in conference."

The Blazers will return to the diamond with a home doubleheader Sunday afternoon against Becker College at Cheryl R. Condon Field. First pitch is scheduled for Noon. Daniel Webster returns to action with a road trip to Southern Vermont Sunday afternoon at Noon.

ELMS SOFTBALL