Blue Softball Opens Season with Florida Split

CLERMONT, Fla. -- The Wellesley College softball team opened the 2011 season with a split on day one of their spring break trip to Florida.  The Blue kicked off the day with an 11-0 victory over D'Youville, but later fell 2-0 to Eastern Connecticut State, who is ranked #3 in the latest NFCA Division III poll.

Against D'Youville, the Blue exploded for 14 total hits. Leading the offensive charge was first-year Jayne Ellis who made the most out of her collegiate debut, blasting homeruns in her first two at-bats. The rookie ended the day 2-2 with five runs batted in.

Senior Sinta Cebrian went 2-2 with an RBI, while classmate Megan Townsend also added two hits an an RBI. Other run producers for the Blue in game one were senior Brittany Bakacs, junior Rachael Goldenberg, and first-years Jennifer Migliore and Rachel Harris.

Wellesley used three arms to combine for a one-hit shutout. Sophomore Sarah Schwartzmeyer got the start, pitching two scoreless innings with two strikeouts.  First-year Lindsay Johnson also added a two-inning, two strikeout performance, while sophomore Alicia Briggs closed it out with one inning of scoreless ball.

In the nightcap against Eastern, Blue sophomore Lauren Goldfarb pitched a strong game in a pitcher's dual with first-team All-American Molly Rathbun of Eastern. Goldfarb thew six innings, scattering five hits, while allowing just one earned run with nine strikeouts.

Eastern did their damage in the third inning, putting two runners on with bunt singles.  A Wellesley miscue on a stolen base attempt then allowed one run home, before a double drove the second one in.

Wellesley picked up just two hits in the game, with sophomore Mara Blesoff breaking through first with a single to left field in the fifth inning.  First-year Sara Del Balzo added a seventh inning pinch hit single.

The Blue return to action tomorrow with games at 9:30am and 11:30am, facing NESCAC foes Colby and Trinity.