Babson Takes Doubleheader From Blue Softball

BABSON PARK, Mass. – Wellesley College dropped a doubleheader to Babson College in NEWMAC softball action on Friday afternoon at Alumni Field. The host Beavers took game one, 7-6, and game two, 8-0.

Babson moved to 14-12 overall and 5-3 in the conference, while Wellesley is now 8-12 overall and 3-3 in league play.

In the opener, Wellesley grabbed a 2-0 advantage in the top of the third, as first-year Maria LaBouyer launched a two-run homer to right center, scoring classmate Abby Casey in front of her. That lead would hold up until the bottom of the fifth, when Babson erupted for five runs on four hits. Junior Jackie Enos plated the first run with a double to left center, junior captain Catie Funk tied the game with an RBI-groundout to short, and senior captain Nicole Latini gave the Beavers their first lead with a two-run double down the left field line. Junior Ashleigh Phelps then capped the inning with a double that glanced off the diving shortstop's glove and tricked into foul ground, allowing Latini to score from second to make it 5-2 in favor of the hosts.

The Beavers added another run in the sixth, when sophomore Sam Pilkington led off with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, took third on a passed ball, and scored on a groundout by Enos to make it 6-2.

Wellesley came storming back in the top of the seventh, scoring four runs to tie the contest at 6-6. Junior Lauren Goldfarb drove in the first run with a single to left, junior Kimberly Cabral and sophomore Jayne Ellis added back-to-back RBI-singles later in the frame, and junior Mara Blesoff evened the score when she ripped a two-out single through the left side that scored rookie pinch-runner Phoebe Walsh-Costello from second.

The Beavers finally put the Blue away in the bottom of the seventh, beginning with a lead-off walk to Funk. After a fly out and a fielder's choice, sophomore Kelly King blasted a 3-2 pitch over the left fielder's head, allowing Phelps to score all the way from first with the game-winning run.

Pitching well before running into trouble in the seventh, Babson sophomore starter Christina Miquel gave up four earned runs and struck out three in 6 1/3 innings of work. Junior Megan Brain got the final two outs - including an inning-ending foul out to first base with runners at second and third - to earn the victory. She is now 3-6 on the season.

Wellesley junior Sarah Schwartzmeyer also pitched well in a no-decision for the Blue, allowing three runs and fanning five in 4 1/3 innings. She was replaced in the fifth by Goldfarb (2-5), who eventually suffered the loss, giving up three earned runs in 2 1/3 innings of work.

Enos and Latini each drove in two runs for Babson in game one, while Goldfarb, LaBouyer, Cabral, Ellis, and Casey had two hits apiece in defeat for Wellesley.

Beavers' sophomore starter Tess Rubega was magnificent in the circle in game two, scattering seven hits and walking one in six scoreless innings. It was the righthander's third shutout of the season as she improved to 6-2 on the year.

Babson gave Rubega all the support she would need in the bottom of the first, as Funk singled in Enos with the game's first run and Latini followed with a mammoth home run to right - her third of the season. The Beavers then tacked on two more in the fifth thanks to an RBI-double by senior captain Jess Pashos and a sacrifice fly by Phelps before completing the six-inning, 8-0 victory with a three-run double by Funk in the sixth.

The top four hitters in the Babson order dominated the nightcap, as Enos, Pashos, Funk, and Latini combined for six hits, seven runs scored, and seven RBIs. Funk did the most damage, going 3-for-4 with four driven in, while Latini added her two-run bomb and Enos scored three times.

Sophomore Lindsay Johnson went 5 2/3 innings and took the loss for Wellesley, dropping her record to 3-4. First-year Emilyrose Havrilla was the only Blue player with multiple hits against Rubega, finishing 2-for-2 with a pair of singles.

Wellesley is back in action tomorrow at noon, hosting a NEWMAC doubleheader against WPI.