Wellesley Softball Sweeps Clark on Senior Day

Wellesley Softball Sweeps Clark on Senior Day

WELLESLEY, Mass. -- The Wellesley College softball team swept a doubleheader against Clark University in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action on Saturday afternoon in Wellesley. The Blue used a late rally to take game one, 4-3, and then won game two, 7-3.

Before the game, Wellesley honored the class of 2011, Brittany Bakacs, Sinta Cebrian and Megan Townsend, who have racked up a four-year record of 100-45-2.

The sweep lifts Wellesley to 22-11 overall, with a 10-5 mark in the NEWMAC. Clark evens its record to 15-15, with 7-9 NEWMAC ledger.

Game one was a back-and-forth affair, but the Blue used runs in the bottom of the sixth and seventh innings to come up with the 4-3 victory. Mara Blesoff led Wellesley with two RBI, while Samantha Spiga went 2-3 with an RBI. Cebrian added a solo homerun, while Lauren Goldfarb collected two hits.

In the circle for Wellesley, Lindsay Johnson picked up the win, coming on in relief of Goldfarb. She tossed two scoreless innings, allowing just one hit, while striking out three. Goldfarb threw the first five frames, allowing three runs on three hits, with four walks and three strikeouts.

Leading the Way for Clark in game one, Erin Murphy hit two doubles, while driving in a run. Maya Allen also collected two hits, while Shawna Amatucci and Meghan Lennon each drove in runs.

Sarah Carter suffered the loss for the Cougars, throwing 6 and two thirds, allowing four runs on nine hits. She struck out five, while walking three.

Clark scored in the top of the first after a sacrifice fly from Amatucci scored Allen, who had reached on an infield single to open the frame. Wellesley answered in the bottom of the inning on Cebrian's solo shot to right center, making it 1-1.

The Blue then stretched their lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the second, when a Spiga double scored Jane Ellis, who had reached on a walk. Wellesley's lead was short-lived however, as Clark used a two-out rally in the top of the third where a Mel Melkonian walk scored on a Murphy double to make it 2-2.

Clark took a 3-2 lead in the top of the sixth, as a bases loaded walk to Meghan Lennon scored Melkonian. The free pass left the bases loaded with no outs for the Cougars, but Wellesley's Johnson came in and forced a pop out and two strikeouts, as the Blue escaped the inning with minimal damage.

Wellesley quickly answered with a lead-off homerun from Blesoff in the bottom of the inning, making it 3-3. Johnson then pitched a scoreless top of the seventh, setting the table for a sacrifice fly from Blesoff, scoring Goldfarb, that gave the Blue the 4-3 victory.

In game two, Wellesley used a five-run third inning, en route to the 7-3 win. Spiga led the Blue with three RBI, while Cebrian went 3-4 and drove in two runs. Goldfarb also collected two hits, while scoring three runs.

Johnson again earned the win for the Blue, her eighth of the season. She tossed seven strong innings, allowing three runs (two earned), on seven hits with eight strikeouts and three walks.

Clark's Allen recorded three hits, including a double, while scoring two runs. Also for the Cougars, Amatucci collected two hits, while Murphy and Stefanie Kettenacker each drove in runs.

In the circle for Clark, Meuse took the loss, throwing three innings, allowing five runs on five hits. She walked five and struck out two. Carter pitched well in relief, throwing three innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits, while striking out one and walking two.

As with game one, the Cougars struck first. Allen lead off the inning with a single and was driven home on a Murphy basehit to left. Kettenacker then recorded an RBI groundout to stretch the Clark lead to 2-0.

Wellesley answered with a huge third inning, collecting five runs on four hits. After a Goldfarb single sandwiched two ground outs, Cebrian and Jen Migliore recorded back-to-back two-out singles, with Migliore's scoring Goldfarb to cut the lead to 2-1. A walk to Blesoff then loaded the bases for an RBI walk from Ellis to knot the game at 2-2. The big blast of the inning came off the bat of Spiga who cleared the bases with a double off the fence in dead center, making it 5-2 Wellesley.

The Blue then added solo runs in the fourth and sixth innings to make it 7-2. In both frames Cebrian knocked RBI singles to score Goldfarb.

Clark added a two-out run in the top of the seventh off of an Amatucci single to set the final to 7-3 in favor of Wellesley.

Both teams have qualified to compete in the upcoming NEWMAC playoffs. First round games begin on Wednesday, with two host sites, #1 Coast Guard and #2 Springfield. Complete seeding will be determined after Wellesley completes a halted game with Babson, scheduled for Sunday afternoon.