Softball Picks Up Pair of NEWMAC Wins Versus Clark

WELLESLEY, Mass. – Sophomore Amanda Manning (Durham, Calif.) hit a walk-off RBI double in the bottom of the seventh inning to help Wellesley College softball complete a sweep of visiting Clark University in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play on Sunday afternoon. The Blue captured game one 11-2, in five innings, before taking a 3-2 win in game two of the doubleheader that was originally scheduled for April 2. 

Wellesley moves to 10-10 overall, snapping a four-game skid in conference play to improve to 6-4 in the NEWMAC. Clark is now 9-19 on the season and 1-9 in the NEWMAC.

Game One: Wellesley 11, Clark 2 (5 innings)

The Blue scored three runs in the first, one in the third, two in the fourth and five in the fifth to cruise to an 11-2 victory over the Cougars in the opener.

Wellesley racked up 15 hits in the contest, as senior Carly Bresee (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) and junior Ashtyn Coleman (Scottsdale, Ariz.) each had three. Ashtyn Coleman had a game-high three RBIs, while Kendra Coleman (Scottsdale, Ariz.) hit her first home run of the season. Manning and classmates Julia Warner (Kenmore, Wash.) and Zein Aburish (Alexandria, Va.) each had two hits and two RBIs. Senior Jaclyn Tsang (Manalapan, N.J.) also recorded two hits.

For Clark, senior Alyssa Wright (Manchester, N.H.), first year Jocie Orangio (Maynard, Mass.), senior Rachel Kraytenberg (Londonderry, N.H.) and sophomore Anjelica Gonzalez (Merrimack, N.H.) all recorded hits, with Wright scoring a run and Orangio registering her second RBI of the season. 

The Cougars managed just four hits of Wellesley starter Madeline Bianchi (Lakeville, Minn.), as the sophomore struck out five over five innings to improve to 7-5 on the season.

Ashtyn Coleman, Tsang and Warner all delivered RBI singles in the bottom of the first inning to get the Blue out to a 3-0 lead. Warner added an RBI groundout in the bottom of the third to make the score 4-0, before Kendra Coleman opened the fourth inning with a home run and the Blue scored on an error to take a 7-0 lead after four.

Clark countered with two runs in the top half of the fifth, scoring on a passed ball and an RBI single from Orangio. The Blue then walked off with the win in the bottom of the fifth, as Ashtyn Coleman capped a five-run Wellesley rally with an RBI single up the middle to give Wellesley the 11-2 victory.

Game Two: Wellesley 3, Clark 2

With one out and a runner on second, Manning tagged her third hit of the game, and her fifth of the day, into right field to score the winning run and secure the sweep for the Blue. 

Manning led all Wellesley players with three hits in the nightcap. While Ashtyn Coleman and junior Anna Pisac (Snohomish, Wash.) each had two hits. Pisac also added an RBI to run her team-leading total to 31 on the year. Bresee, Aburish and Kendra Coleman each added hits in the ball game.

Orangio had a game-high four hits for the visitors, as the top three batters in the Clark order accounted for all six of the Cougars base hits in the game. Wright and junior Lauren Mackey (Dublin, N.H.) each recorded a hit, while Kraytenberg registered an RBI groundout to increase her team-leading total to 28 on the year.

Clark got out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Wright was able to score from third on an errant throw following a line out to second base. The Cougars held on to their opening inning advantage until the bottom of the third when the Blue scored two runs to take a 2-1 lead. Aburish opened the inning with a single, advancing to second on a sacrifice and third on a groundout before tying the game on a wild pitch. With the bases clear and two away, Manning, Ashtyn Coleman and Pisac hit back-to-back-to-back singles to bring Manning around to score the second Wellesley run.

The game then advanced to the top of the sixth inning, where Clark pushed the tying run across thanks to a fielder's choice RBI from Kraytenberg. Orangio opened the inning with a single, advancing to third when Mackey ripped a double down the third base line. With two runners in scoring position Kraytenberg grounded the ball to second but Orangio beat out the Blue attempt to cut her down at home, tying the game at 2-2.

Manning then finished the game in the home half of the seventh, scoring Bresse from second after the senior reached with a one out double earlier in the inning. Bianchi went the distance in game two, striking out four to earn her second win of the day and her eighth of the year (8-5). Clark starter Sami West (Gonic, N.H.) struck out a pair in 6.1 innings to drop to 4-10 overall. 

Wellesley will return to non-conference play on Wednesday afternoon, April 13, at Endicott with a doubleheader scheduled to begin at 3:00 PM. Clark will play next Friday, April 15, in a NEWMAC doubleheader at Springfield College at 3:00 PM