Wheaton Steals Game Two To Complete Sweep of Blue Softball

NORTON, Mass. – Wheaton junior Emily Bouthillette (Lincoln, R.I.) hit a walk-off two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning to send host Wheaton College to a doubleheader sweep of Wellesley College softball in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play on Friday afternoon. The Lyons won game one in five innings, 13-5, before Bouthillette secured an 8-7 Wheaton win in game two. 

Wheaton improves to 15-9 overall and 9-3 in conference action while the Blue move to 12-12 overall and 6-6 in NEWMAC play. 

Game One: Wheaton 13, Wellesley 5 (5 innings)

Wellesley opened game one with a 2-0 lead but could do little to slow down the Wheaton bats in the remainder of the contest, dropping a 13-5 final in five innings. 

Blue senior Carly Bresee (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) had a team-high three hits, including a double and a triple, to go along with two runs scored and three RBIs. Sophomores Amanda Manning (Durham, Calif.) and Julia Warner (Kenmore, Wash.) and junior Kendra Coleman (Scottsdale, Ariz.) also recorded hits for the Blue. Senior Jaclyn Tsang (Manalapan, N.J.) and junior Ashtyn Coleman (Scottsdale, Ariz.) each had an RBI.

Wheaton senior Kelly Welch (Wood Dale, Ill.) drove in five and scored two of the Lyons 13 runs in the game. Welch finished with a pair of hits, including her third home run of the year. Welch was one of two Wheaton players to hit a home run, along with classmate Marissa Timoteo (Jupiter, Fla.). Timoteo finished the game with three RBIs on two hits. Senior Emma Hart (Lincoln, R.I.) had a team-high four runs scored, three hits and an RBI. 

Ashtyn Coleman and Tsang gave the Blue an early 2-0 lead, as Coleman grounded into a fielder's choice to score the first run of the game, and Tsang grounded out to second to score Manning.

Wheaton responded with four runs in the bottom half of the inning. Welch brought Hart around with a fielder's choice RBI, before Bouthillette singled up the middle to score junior Mary DeMoura (Boston, Mass.). Timoteo closed out the rally with a two-RBI double to make the score 4-2.

Bresee rallied the Blue from behind in the top of the second, ripping a three-run triple to right to make the score 5-4. However, Wheaton tied the game on a Welch RBI double before scoring four runs in both the third and fourth innings to run away with the 13-5 win in five innings.

Wheaton starter Danielle Cimino (Cumberland, Maine) improved to 5-4 with a three strikeout performance. Warner (3-5) took the loss for the Blue.

Game Two: Wheaton 8, Wellesley 7 

Wellesley opened up a 6-1 lead in game two, only to see the Lyons come roaring back to take an 8-7 victory when Bouthillette hit her fourth home run of the year in walk-off fashion in the bottom of the seventh inning. 

Manning totaled a game-high three hits in the nightcap, reaching base five times, while scoring a run while driving in a pair. Ashtyn Coleman and junior Anna Pisac (Snohomish, Wash.) each recorded two more hits and a run scored in game two, while Warner added two more hits and scored a pair of runs for the Blue. Bresee tallied a hit and a run scored to run her team-leading totals in each category to 41 and 33, respectively.

Welch and Bouthillette each tallied a pair of hits. Bouthillette, Welch, junior Caroline Fairbanks (Milford, Mass.) and senior Madeline Hatch (Acton, Mass.) all tallied two hits for the Lyons. Hart also scored twice for Wheaton, finishing as one of seven players to cross the dish for the hosts. 

The Blue again took an advantage of thier opportunities to score in the first inning, scoring three runs when first year Veronica Locher (Walnut Creek, Calif.) cleared the bases with a three-RBI double to center. Wheaton got one back in the bottom of the first, on an RBI double from Fairbanks, but the Blue would go on to add three more runs in the fourth. Manning ripped a two-RBI double to right, before coming around to score on an RBI single from Ashtyn Coleman as the Blue took a 6-1 edge.

Wheaton came all the way back with five runs in the fifth inning. DeMoura opened the rally with an RBI single. Fairbanks and Welch followed with RBI hits, before Timoteo capped the rally with a two-RBI double to right to tie the game at 6-6. 

The Blue loaded the bases in the top of the seventh, scoring the go-ahead run when Manning walked to drive in Warner. With Wellesley unable to add insurance in the inning, the Lyons walked-off in the home half of the seventh thanks to Bouthillette's home run to center.

Wheaton senior Jillian Rocha (Rehoboth, Mass.) earned her second win (2-3), pitching a pair of innings in relief. Blue starter Madeline Bianchi (Lakeville, Minn.) dropped to 9-6 despite a compete game effort.

Both team continue NEWMAC play tomorrow, April 16, at 12:00 PM. Wellesley will host WPI for Senior Day, while Wheaton will play host to MIT.