Blue Softball Drops a Pair in Florida

CLERMONT, Fla. -- The Wellesley College softball team dropped a pair of close games in their third day of action at the National Training Center in Clermont, Florida. The Blue opened the day with a 4-2 loss to the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, and then fell 2-1, to Buena Vista University. Today's results set Wellesley's season mark to 2-4.

A fourth inning rally proved to be the difference maker against Oshkosh, as Wellesley belted out eight hits, but only scored a pair of runs in the 4-2 loss.

Oskosh got on the board in the top of the first inning, using a double and a single to drive in a run. Wellesley responded in the bottom of the second when a Mariah Philips single scored Emilyrose Havrilla to tie the game at 1-1.

Wellesley took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third. With two outs, Ashtyn Coleman laced a double to center and Maria LaBouyer followed with a single to center to score LaBouyer.

Wisconsin Oshkosh then took the lead for good in the top of the fourth inning, using a double and three singles to plate three runs and take a 4-2 lead. Wellesley rallied with a pair of singles to lead off the bottom of the seventh, but couldn't complete the rally.

Havrilla and Philips led the Blue with a pair of hits each, while Philips and LaBouyer drove in Wellesley's only runs. Lindsay Johnson got the start for the Blue, throwing seven innings, allowing four runs on seven hits with three strikeouts.  

In game two, Wellesley mustered just one hit and couldn't take advantage of seven errors by Buena Vista in the 2-1 loss.

The Blue got on the board first, as a lead-off triple from Havrilla came around to score when Sumner Hanula reached on an error. Buena Vista tied it up in the top of the third after a Wellesley miscue on a stolen base allowed a run to score. The Beavers pushed their lead to 2-1 in the top of the fourth after a sacrifice fly.

Wellesley appeared to have tied the game in the bottom of the sixth. With the bases loaded, the Blue had a player called out for interference and a runner who had scored on the play was sent back to third. The next Wellesley batter grounded out, keeping the score 2-1, where it would stay at the end of seven.

Havrilla provided the only Wellesley offense with her first-inning triple, while in the circle Amber Braun had a solid outing, despite being saddled with the loss. She threw seven innings, allowing just one earned run on eight hits with five strikeouts and no walks.

Wellesley returns to action tomorrow on the final day of the team's spring break trip. The Blue will take on Union at 11:00am and then play Wisconsin-Whitewater at 1:00pm.