Wellesley Softball Blanked In NEWMAC Twin Bill at MIT

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – MIT junior Ravenne Nasser (Methuen, Mass.) pitched a complete game shutout in game one and first years Colleen Campbell (Snoqualmie, Wash.) and Amber VanHemel (Coconut Creek, Fla.) combined for a two-hit shutout in game two to lead the host Engineers to a sweep of a New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) doubleheader on Friday at Briggs Field. 

MIT took game one by a 2-0 score before winning game two, 8-0, in five innings to extend a season-best win streak to 10 games and improve to 19-4-1 overall and 11-1 in the NEWMAC. The Blue are now 6-15 overall and 3-7 in conference play.

MIT 2, Wellesley 0

Nassar allowed just four hits and one walk while striking out six in a complete game effort to improve to 11-2 overall with the victory in game one.

Wellesley senior Julia Warner (Kenmore, Wash.) finished the contest with two of the four Wellesley hits, going 2-for-4 with a pair of singles. Warner's single in the top of the fourth helped the Blue get two aboard with no out, after first year Gen Brittingham (Aliso Viejo, Calif.) reached on an error to open the inning, but Nassar was able to escape the threat without any damage. Warner (4-6) was also charged with the loss (4-6) after pitching the first three innings and surrendering three hits, two runs, one earned, while recording a strikeout for the Blue.

MIT took the lead in the bottom of the second inning when sophomore Sierra Rosenzweig (Anchorage, Alaska) scored on a Wellesley error after reaching earlier in the inning with a single to center. The Engineers made the score 2-0 in the bottom of the third, as sophomore Devon Goetz (Rockville, Md.) scored on an RBI single from senior Amanda Lee (Saratoga, Calif.) after lacing a two-out triple to right center to start the MIT rally.

With Wellesley unable to score in the top of the fourth, Nassar locked in, setting down nine of the final ten Blue batters in the contest to hold on to the 2-0 lead in a tight contest. 

MIT 8, Wellesley 1 (5 inn.)

The Engineers erupted for six runs in the bottom of the second inning before walking off in five innings as they overpowered the Blue in game two. 

Campbell and VanHamel limited Wellesley to just two hits, singles from Jessica Budz (Traverse City, Mich.) and Autumn Brown (Marshfield, Mass.), to shutout the Blue for the second time on the day. Campbell struck out three batters over two scoreless innings before VanHemel (2-1) came on to earn the win with three innings of scoreless relief. Wellesley's Sydney Hopper was charged with the loss (2-3) after pitching just 1.2 innings, allowing six hits and five runs. 

Michelle Wist (Cypress, Texas) and Madi Pickett (Santa Barbara, Calif.) both homered as part of MIT's six-run second after Sarah Von Ahn (West Linn, Ore.) doubled to score Lee when she reached on a two-out triple. Wist finished the game 2-for-3, while Lee went 3-for-3 with two runs and an RBI and Von Ahn was 2-for-3 with a run scored and two RBIs. Leading 7-0, the Engineers walked off thanks to a Wellesley error in the fifth inning.

Both teams will host NEWMAC Doubleheaders on Saturday, April 14 at 12:00 PM. Wellesley returns home to host Coast Guard and MIT will welcome Springfield.