Softball Loses Tough Battles Against Potsdam and Lesley

NAPLES, Fla. - The Elms College Softball team faced off against the State University of New York at Potsdam and Lesley University in a non-conference doubleheader Tuesday morning in the 35th Annual Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic.

BASICS
Game 1
Score: Elms College 1 | State University of New York at Potsdam 9
Records: Blazers 0-5, 0-0 (GNAC) | Bears 2-1, 0-0 (SUNYAC)

Game 2
Score: Elms College 4 | Lesley University 8
Records: Blazers 0-6, 0-0 (GNAC) | Lynx 1-3, 0-0 (NAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1
Elms would have sophomore pitcher/outfielder Kaelyn Zakaitis (Amherst, Mass.) take the ball to start the game, pitching one and ⅔ innings, but Potsdam would score three runs early in the top of the first inning. The Blazers would get on the board in the bottom half of the inning after senior outfielder Kyla Cook (Taunton, Mass.) would score on an error by the Bears infield. SUNY Potsdam would add four more runs in the top of the second inning, then first year pitcher Reece Hebert (North Haven, Conn.) would take over pitching, throwing the final three and ⅓ innings with two strikeouts. The Bears would tally two more runs by the end of the fourth inning, and would take the victory 9-1.

Game 2
The Blazers would record the first hit of the contest, after sophomore pitcher/utility player Caity Flynn (Colchester, Conn.) would hit a leadoff single. Sophomore pitcher/infielder Jill Dykema (Preston, Conn.) would start the second game for Elms, pitching three and ⅔ innings with a strikeout. Lesley would score three runs in the first three innings, but the Blazers would start the fourth inning with a leadoff triple by Cook and would be driven in by a single from graduate student catcher Kelsey Bennett (Granby, Mass.). Dykema would follow with a single of her down, down the right field line, and senior outfielder Sarah Fortini (Florida, Mass.) would bring Bennett home with a single up the middle, followed by a sacrifice groundout by senior infielder Danajah Stokes (Savannah, Ga.) to drive in Dykema for their third run of the game to tie the score. In the bottom half of the inning, the Lynx would score four additional runs, to take back the lead 7-3. In the bottom of the fourth, Hebert would return to the pitching circle, and toss two and ⅓ innings with four more strikeouts. Following a single by sophomore utility player Amanda Raymond (Auburn, Maine), Cook would rip a second triple down the right field line to bring Raymond home, but Lesley would add one more run to secure the win, 8-4.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Bennett: would go two for six, with a run scored and a run batted-in.

• Cook: would go five for six, with two triples, a double, two runs scored, and a run batted-in.

• Dykema: would pitch three and ⅔ innings with a strikeout, and would go one for five with a run scored.

• Flynn: would go two for four, with two walks.

• Fortini: would go one for four, with a run batted-in and a walk.

• Hebert: would pitch a combined five and ⅔ innings with six strikeouts, and would go 0 for two at the plate.

• Raymond: would go one for six, with a run scored.

• Stokes: would go 0 for three, with a run batted-in.

• Zakaitis: would pitch one and ⅔ innings.

UP NEXT: The Elms Softball team will wrap up their Spring Break trip in Naples, Fla. on Friday, March 14th as they face off against the State University of New York at Potsdam at 9 am and Crown College, Minn. at 11 am North Collier Sports Complex Field 5.

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