Softball Opens NEWMAC Tournament with Victory over Clark

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- Behind sophomore pitcher Sarah Schwartzmeyer, the Wellesley College softball team defeated Clark University, 4-1, in the opening game of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Tournament Wednesday afternoon beneath gray skies at Springfield College's Potter Field.  

Wellesley, which improved to 24-11, is the #3 seed in this tournament, while Clark, who drops to 15-16, is the #6-seed.  

Schwartzmeyer dazzled for the Blue as she hurled a complete game, giving up only four hits, while striking out 12 and walking just one. Her counterpart, Sarah Carter, shouldered the loss as she scattered four hits while allowing four runs, two earned, and totaling a pair of strikeouts and walks.  

By winning, Wellesley moves on to play #2-seeded Springfield later on this afternoon.  

Clark scored the opening run of the contest in the third inning after Maya Allen led off the frame with a double to left. Mel Melkonian then reached on a bunt single, moving Allen to third. After Schwartzmeyer registered another strikeout, Shawna Amatucci produced a sacrifice fly to center field to plate Allen for the Cougars lone run of the afternoon.  

Wellesley answered right back in the bottom half to snag a lead it would not surrender. Brittany Bakacs led off with a single to left center, and then stole second to move into scoring position. Lauren Goldfarb put the Blue up 2-1 after she blasted a two-run shot over the left field fence.  

The Blue added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth as they took advantage of a pair of Cougar miscues. Sinta Cebrian led off the inning reaching on an error, and later moved over to third on a Mara Blesoff double to left. With two outs on the board, Samantha Spiga's fly ball to right appeared to end the frame, however, the Clark outfielder misplayed the ball, allowing both Cebrian and pinch-runner Rachael Goldenberg to cross home plate.  

Both teams finished with just four hits each, and no player had more than one hit for either squad. Goldfarb's finished 1-2 with two RBI for the Blue, and Amatucci posted a 1-2 day at the plate with an RBI for the Cougars.