Wellesley Softball Takes Two from Lesley

WELLESLEY, Mass. -- The Wellesley College softball team made it seven in a row with a doubleheader sweep over non-conference opponent, Lesley University on Sunday afternoon. Wellesley took the opener, 6-2, and then the nightcap, 8-7.

The wins lift the Blue to 18-8 overall, while the Lynx fall to 10-6.

Wellesley used strong pitching from Sarah Schwartzmeyer and a potent offense to pick up the 6-2 victory in game one, snapping Lesley's seven-game win streak. Schwartzmeyer pitched seven solid innings, while at the plate, the Blue picked up 10 hits.

Sara Del Balzo celebrated her birthday with a two RBI triple, while Lauren Goldfarb and Mara Blesoff each picked up two hits. Brittany Bakacs and Taylor Yamauchi both drove in runs, while Jayne Ellis and Rachel Harris contributed doubles in the winning effort.

Schwartzmeyer earned her fifth win of the season, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits, striking out five and walking two.

For Lesley, Gabrielle Brixey led the offense with a two-run homerun. Amanda Knox took the loss in the circle, throwing six, allowing six runs (three earned) on 10 hits. She struck out four and walked three.

The Blue used a big second inning to open up a 5-0 lead. Wellesley plated five runs on five hits, included RBI singles from Yamauchi and Goldfarb, as well as Del Balzo's two RBI triple to take the lead.

In the third, the Blue pushed another across, as a walk to Ellis came around to score on Blesoff's double, making it 6-0 Wellesley.

Lesley would get on the board in the top of the sixth, as Brixey's two run homerun scored Jennifer Dorval.

In game two, Wellesley again jumped out to an early lead and then held off a late Lesley rally for the 8-7 victory.

Megan Townsend and Del Balzo each went 3-4, with Townsend scoring three runs and Del Balzo driving in a pair. Blesoff went 2-2 with two RBI, while Ellis was officially 1-1 with an RBI. Bakacs, Cebrian and Goldfarb also drove in solo runs for the Blue.

Lindsay Johnson (5-1) earned the win for Wellesley, throwing seven innings, allowing nine hits and seven runs, four of which were earned. She struck out 12 batters and walked seven.

For Lesley, Dorval went 2-4 with three RBI while Emily Mangiaratti had a two-hit performance, scoring two runs. Alyson Durben and Jessica Guevara each drove in a run in the loss.

In the circle for the Lynx, Dorval threw six inning, allowing 12 hits and eight runs (all earned). She walked three and struck out one.

The Blue pushed one across in the bottom of the first as Townsend singled, stole two bases and then was driven in on a Del Balzo single. In the bottom of the second, Wellesley broke open the game with a six-hit, five run inning that stretched the lead to 6-0. Bakacs, Goldfarb, Townsend and Del Balzo contributed RBI singles, while Blesoff added an RBI walk.

Lesley got one back in the fifth on a Dorval single that scored Guevara. The Lynx then loaded the bases with no outs before Wellesley's Johnson forced two strikeouts and a pop out to end the threat.

The Lynx continued their comeback in the sixth, scoring two more to cut the Wellesley lead to 6-3. Durben notched an RBI single, while Maria Nazzaro scored the other run on a wild pitch. However, Wellesley answered with two more runs in the bottom of the sixth, to push their lead to 8-3.

Lesley was not done, though, as the Lynx piled on four runs in the top of the seventh before Wellesley nipped the comeback and completed the sweep. Lesley used four hits, including a two RBI single from Dorval to get within one, but Wellesley's Johnson forced a fly-out to end the game.

Wellesley returns to conference play on Tuesday, hosting NEWMAC and local rival Babson in a 3:00pm doubleheader. Lesley plays another non-conference opponent tomorrow, traveling to Emmanuel College for a 7:00pm game.