Softball Splits With Lesley On Senior Day

Chris Kendrick (@CKendrick86)

CHICOPEE, Mass. – The Elms College softball team split a New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) doubleheader with visiting Lesley University at Cheryl R. Condon Field Saturday afternoon. The Blazers move to 15-18 on the season, and 9-9 in league play, while the Lynx sit at 12-4 in the NECC, and 18-14 overall.

Following the doubleheader, the Blazers honored their departing seniors, Kierstan Skinner (South Windsor, Conn.), Taylor Skinner (South Windsor, Conn.), and Samantha Alvino (Holtsville, N.Y.) for their dedication to the softball program.

Game 1: Lesley 6, Elms 1

After a scoreless first inning, the Lynx cracked the scoreboard in the top of the second behind an RBI single from freshman Jordan Raab (Rochester, N.H.) to grab a 1-0 lead. In the top of the fourth, Raab struck again, delivering a two-run single to centerfield to extend the Lesley lead to 4-0. The Lynx tacked on a pair of runs in the fifth on a sacrifice fly from junior Mekenzi Golden (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) and an RBI single from freshman Abby Henderson (Rochester, N.H.) to send Lesley ahead 6-0.

The Blazers dented the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth with sophomore Elizabeth Olszewski (Canterbury, Conn.) launching a leadoff homerun over the right field fence, to make it a 6-1 score.

Elms junior Kacey Gifford (Suffield, Conn.) went 2-for-4 with a stolen base. Junior Tessa Cote (6-12; Granby, Mass.) suffered the loss, surrendering six runs, four earned, on 10 hits with three strikeouts.

Raab led the Lynx, going 3-for-3 with three RBIs. Henderson and senior Selena Quezada (West Covina, Calif.) each added two hits and scored. Sophomore Kaera Wyse (11-6; Reading, Mass.) gave up one runs on seven hits with 12 strikeouts in the win.

Game 2: Elms 4, Lesley 1

The Blazers wasted little time getting on the scoreboard in the finale, plating three runs in the bottom of the first. After tripling to right field, Elms freshman Catharine Wrang (Middletown, Conn.) touched home on an RBI single from Gifford to grab a 1-0 lead for the Blazers. Gifford scored on a throwing error on a single from Taylor Skinner, followed by an RBI single from freshman Kayla Doherty (Plaistow, N.H.) to hand Elms a 3-0.

Elms freshman Raeanna Tumel (Stafford, Conn.) limited the Lynx to three hits over the first five innings of play. Lesley posted their lone run of the game in the sixth on an RBI single by Sydney Thayer (Reading, Mass.) to cut the Blazers lead to 3-1. Tumel responded for Elms in the bottom of the frame, lifting a sacrifice fly to score Kierstan Skinner, securing the 4-1 win for the Blazers.

Wrang, Gifford, and Olszewski knocked two hits each and scored, while Gifford drove in a run. Doherty and Tumel went 1-for-2 with an RBI. Tumel (8-6) logged the complete game win, scattering one run on four hits with two strikeouts.

Quezada and Henderson went 1-for-3 for Lesley, while Thayer delivered an RBI in her lone at-bat. Junior Alyson Nisbet (Clovis, Calif.) allowed four runs, three earned, on ten hits with four strikeouts.

ELMS SOFTBALL