Softball Wins 2015 NECC Championship

NEW LONDON, Conn. – Elms College captured its first-ever New England Collegiate Conference Softball Championship on Saturday afternoon, defeating Becker College by a 1-0 final in the title round at Alumni Field.

The second-seeded Blazers went 4-0 in the Championship to earn the program's fourth NCAA Championship berth and first since 2007. Elms will learn its NCAA opponent and destination when the field is announced on the Division III selection show (NCAA.com) on Monday, May 4 at 10 a.m.

Senior Bethany Grimes (Terryville, Conn./Terryville) was the winning pitcher in all four Elms victories and was named the tournament's most valuable player. Joining Grimes on the NECC All-Tournament Team were teammates Kierstan Skinner and Meghan Shewchuk; Becker's Kelsey Norberg, Megan Bolduc and Brianna Herforth; Newbury College's Olivia Kenyon and Emily Humphries; and Mitchell College's Samantha DelConte and Brittany Fiederlein.

Third-seeded Becker advanced to the title round with a 5-0 win over fourth-seeded Newbury earlier in the day. The Hawks went 3-2 in the Championship with both losses coming to Elms. 

Game 2 – Elms 1, Becker 0

Box Score: http://www.neccathletics.com/sports/sball/2014-15/boxscores/20150502_v4m0.xml

Grimes saved her best performance of the week for when it mattered most, allowing only two hits over 7.0 innings while striking out eight. She also picked up her second shutout of the Championship and allowed a total of four earned runs over a combined 26.0 innings in four games.

Elms scored the only run it would need in the second inning. Elizabeth Olszewski (Canterbury, Conn./Griswold) led off with a double off the base of the fence in the left field corner, and Rachel Beery (Springfield, Mass./Cathedral) followed by ripping a double off the third-base bag to plate the run.

Becker appeared to have something cooking in the bottom of the third. With a runner on first, Orangio laid down a bunt and collided with the first baseman on her way to the bag. The play left the Hawks with runners at the corners with only one out, but a conference by the umpires ruled that Orangio was out due to interference and placed the runner back on first. Grimes then got a ground ball to end the inning with the 1-0 lead still in hand.

The Hawks put two on with one out in the fifth but couldn't take advantage. Grimes struck out the final two batters of the frame to keep Becker off the scoreboard. She then set the side down in order in both the sixth and seventh innings to lock down the win.

Bolduc and Rebecca Carkhuff (Amherst, Mass./Amherst) each singled on the day for Becker. Norberg gave up the lone run on five hits and struck out seven over 7.0 innings.

"We played really tough this weekend," said Elms Head Coach Cheryl Condon. "We had very close games, and we just dug in. We were as prepared and confident, and peaked at the right time this year, so we were right where we wanted to be. The leadership made this team special. Our eight seniors, all of them, have been amazing leaders and have kept this team on task. This team believes in themselves, and that's been a difference. They've believed in themselves all season. It feels so wonderful for them. When you can do this with your seniors, this is the best gift you can give them to go out with a championship. We need to remain who were are in the next round, play Blazers softball, keep working hard and keep believing."

2015 NECC All-Tournament Team
MVP: Bethany Grimes, Elms
Kierstan Skinner, Elms
Meghan Shewchuk, Elms
Kelsey Norberg, Becker
Megan Bolduc, Becker
Brianna Herforth, Becker
Olivia Kenyon, Newbury
Emily Humphries, Newbury
Samantha DelConte, Mitchell
Brittany Fiederlein, Mitchell