Wellesley Softball Splits with Wheaton

WELLESLEY, Mass. – The Wellesley College and Wheaton College softball teams split a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) doubleheader on Friday afternoon in Wellesley. Wheaton (17-17, 9-5 NEWMAC) took game one, 1-0, while Wellesley (16-17-1, 8-6) rebounded with a Jayne Ellis walk-off single to take game two, 2-1 in eight innings.

Game one featured a pitchers dual between Wheaton's Allison Baker and Wellesley's Sarah Schwartzmeyer. Baker came out on top, tossing a four-hit shutout with two strikeouts. Schwartzmeyer earned the hard-luck loss, throwing seven innings, allowing one unearned run on five hits, with two walks and seven strikeouts.

The only run of the game came in the top of the first inning on a Wellesley miscue. The Lyons loaded the bases with no outs, as a walk, a Blue error, and an infield single put Wheaton in the driver's seat. Schwartzmeyer, however, minimized the damage with a strikeout and a fielder's choice before the Lyons' Noelle Christmas came around to score on a Wellesley throwing error.

The Blue made some noise in the bottom of the seventh, as Mara Blesoff reached on a single with two outs. Designated player Samantha Spiga then hit a long fly ball to right center that appeared to be headed for the fence, but Wheaton's Amanda Poplaski tracked it down to seal the Lyon victory.

Wellesley's Lauren Goldfarb and Wheaton's Ashley Brillon each recorded two hits to lead the offense. Neither team recorded an extra-base hit in the first contest.

In game two, each team scored a run in the first inning. Wheaton's Christmas stroked a double to left and was driven home on a Megan Roy single. Wellesley's Goldfarb led off the bottom of the inning with a hit, and then came around to score on a Wheaton error.

Wellesley threatened in the bottom of the fifth inning as singles from Goldfarb and Maria LaBouyer put runners on first and third with two outs. Wheaton got out of the jam, as Christmas, who came on in relief, forced a ground out to end the inning.

Wellesley again had a chance to win it, this time in the bottom of the seventh, with a runner on third with one out. Christmas then induced two straight groundouts to force extra innings.

Wheaton stranded a runner on third in the top of the eighth inning, setting up the game-winner from Wellelsey's Ellis. Mariah Philips laid down a sacrifice to advance
LaBouer to third with one out. Ellis then knocked a single over the outstretched glove of the Wheaton second basewoman, handing Wellesley the 2-1 victory.

Schwartzmeyer picked up the win for the Blue in the nightcap, throwing eight innings, allowing just one run on six hits with four strikeouts and no walks.

For Wheaton, Emily Berardi started the game, throwing four innings, allowing three hits and one unearned run. Christmas pitched well in relief, despite earning the loss, throwing three and a third, allowing four hits and an unearned run.

Offensively, Goldfarb and LaBouyer each collected two hits for the Blue, while Aimee Avila picked up two hits for the Lyons.

Both teams play their NEWMAC regular season finales tomorrow. Wellesley hosts Smith at noon, while Wheaton travels to Springfield for an 11:30am start.