WORCESTER, Mass. -- Wellesley pitchers Lauren Goldfarb and Sarah Schwartzmeyer combined to allow three hits as the visiting Blue shutout WPI 6-0 and 2-0 in a NEWMAC softball doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. With the win, Wellesley improves to 16-8 on the season and 6-2 in NEWMAC play, while the Engineers fall to 14-15 overall and 2-10 in the league.
In the third inning of the first contest, Wellesley had its biggest inning of the day going ahead 3-0. Rachel Harris led off with a double down the left field line. Goldfarb used one of her four hits on the day to get on base and Megan Townsend reached on a fielder's choice to score Harris. A sacrifice fly by Sara Del Balzo and a Sinta Cebrian single to left sent Goldfarb and Townsend home.
The Blue added another pair of runs in the fourth on a 2-RBI double by Brittany Bakacs.
WPI looked to get a run across in the bottom half of the inning. Katherine Fitton reached on a dropped fly ball and advanced to second to start the rally. Kim Martilla singled and Fitton headed home and would be tagged out on a tremendous throw from the right fielder Townsend.
In the fifth, a solo shot to left field by Cerbian increased the lead to 6-0.
Goldfarb (7-4) recorded her second shutout of the season as she struck out seven and allowed only the hit to Martilla in the fourth.
Christa Cosica (3-5) gave up four earned runs on seven hits in five innings for the loss. Allie Hardy threw two scoreless innings in relief for the Engineers allowing one hit.
The Crimson and Gray looked to get on the scoreboard early in game two. Sarah Johnson and Maddie Willer were in scoring position in the bottom of second after they reached on a fielder's choice and a single. A passed ball allowed both runners to advance to second and third with only one out. A Goldfarb strikeout and a line out derailed the effort.
A leadoff walk by Kimberly Cabral in the fifth turned into the first run for the Blue. Cabral advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Harris, a ground out and crossed home plate following a single by Townsend.
In the top of the seventh, Wellesley tacked on an insurance run on a Goldfarb RBI double that plated Bakacs.
Goldfarb added another three scoreless innings to her day striking out two and giving up a pair of hits in the initial innings of the contest. Schwartzmeyer did not allow a hit and struck out six in the final four innings for the Blue to pick up the win (4-2).
Erin Flaherty gave up two runs on six hits and fanned three in seven innings of work.
On the day, Goldfarb went 4-for-7 at the plate and scored twice for the Blue. Cerbian amassed three hits and two runs batted it as Townsend and Bakacs each recorded two hits and a pair of RBI for the Blue. Martilla notched two of the three Engineer hits and Juliana Fekete drew a pair of walks.
WPI hits the road Wednesday when they head over to Worcester State for a 4pm non-conference doubleheader. Wellesley begins a six game homestand tomorrow with a non-conference doubleheader versus Lesley at noon.
