Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 CAPE CORAL, Fla. – The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth softball team utilized a three-run fifth inning to defeat The College of Wooster, 3-2, and bested the Bisons of Nichols College, 7-4, on Sunday at the Cape Coral Sports Complex.
Game #1 UMass Dartmouth 3 Wooster 2
Junior Shannon Orton (Swansea, Mass.) powered UMass Dartmouth in the season-opener as she went 2-for-3 from the plate with a run-batted-in and hurled six and a third innings of scoreless work. The Swansea, Mass. product struck out four batters, while surrendering only three hits and two walks.
Freshman Dylan Parsons (Methuen, Mass.) went 1-for-3 with a run and an RBI in her collegiate debut. Sophomore Marissa Spinuzzi (Fair Lawn, N.J.) registered a hit, run-batted-in and drew a based-on-ball, while classmate Abby Tremblay (New Bedford, Mass.) generated a hit and a run in three plate appearances for the Corsairs.
UMass Dartmouth broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning when the Corsairs strung together four singles and a pair of walks to gain a 3-0 lead. Tremblay kick started the surge with a single up the middle. Back-to-back walks from Rebecca Field (Brentwood, N.H.) and Emily Colton (Kingston, Mass.) loaded the bases for UMass Dartmouth. Parsons laced a single through the ride side of the infield to drive in Tremblay. On the play, Field attempted to score, however the Fighting Scot's relay throw beat her to home. Spinuzzi followed with an RBI base-hit to push across the Corsair's second run. With runners on first and second, Orton capped the charge when she drove home Parsons with a base knock.
Wooster answered back with two runs with two outs in the top half of the sixth to come within one run. A trio of based-on-balls loaded the bases for the Fighting Scots. Sky Patterson slapped a hit through the left side of the infield to push home pinch runners Kasey Fiedler and Jenna Kendall.
Trailing 3-2 in the top of the seventh, Georgia Hill smacked a two out double into the right center gap. Orton would not allow the tying run to come home as she forced a ground ball back to the mound to stop the late game push by Wooster.
In the early innings of the contest the Fighting Scots had runners in scoring position, however Orton managed to deal her way out of the jams. With a runner on third and two outs in the third, she produced a ground ball to teammate Spinuzzi for the putout. In the fourth, a couple defensive mishaps by the Corsairs put Wooster runners on first and third with two down. Orton rose to the challenge and struck out the final batter to keep Wooster off the scoreboard.
Kate Edgehouse and Georgia Hill split time in the circle for the Fighting Scots. Edgehouse surrendered five hits and three runs in four and a third innings of work. In relief, Hill did not allow a hit in the final inning and a third.
Game #2 UMass Dartmouth 7 Nichols 4
A five-run third inning supplied UMass Dartmouth with enough cushion to fend off a late game rally by Nichols. Spinuzzi and Parsons each contributed a pair of hits and runs, accompanied with an RBI to lead the offensive attack.
In the third, Tremblay led off with a single up the middle. Back-to-back fielding miscues allowed Tremblay to cross the plate and tie the game at one-all. Parsons recorded one of her two singles to knock home Colton and give the Corsairs a 2-1 lead. Spinuzzi followed with an RBI rip through the left side of the infield. A few batters later, junior Rachel Carey (Holbrook, Mass.) roped in a pair of runs when she singled between third and short to increase the lead to four runs, 5-1.
UMass Dartmouth tacked on two more in the fifth, when an errant throw allowed Parsons and Spinuzzi to touch home plate.
In the final inning, the Bisons cut the deficit down to three (7-4) on a wild pitch and a fielding error. With the bases loaded and one out, Tremblay forced an infield fly and a ground out to hold off Nichols.
Freshman Mary Pieroni (Arlington, Mass) put together a strong performance for the Corsairs. She allowed five hits and one run in five innings to earn her first collegiate victory. Tremblay came on in relief for two innings, allowing two hits and three runs. For the Bisons, Haley Fountain went the distance, surrendering six hits and one earned run in the loss.
Nichols was led by lead-off hitter Kendall Meehan, who was a perfect 3-for-3, with a double, two runs and a walk.
UMass Dartmouth continues play in Fort Myers, Fl. on Monday, Mar. 16 when the Corsairs take the field against Lasell at 9 am, followed by Brockport at 11 am.
Photo Courtesy of Tony Spinuzzi
