Emerson Rallies Past Blue Softball in NEWMAC Opener; Game Two Postponed

UPDATE: Game 2 will now be played on Tuesday, April 9 at 4:30 PM.

WELLESLEY, Mass. – Emerson College senior Kallista Leonardos (El Granada, Calif.) hit a three-run home run as part of a five-run fifth inning to help the visiting Lions rally past Wellesley College softball, 8-6, in New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play on Friday afternoon at the Wellesley Fields Complex. Emerson improves to 10-7 (1-2 NEWMAC) with the victory, dropping the Blue to 4-5 overall and 0-1 to start the conference season.

Game two of Friday's scheduled doubleheader was postponed due to the rainy weather and remaining light at the field.  

Wellesley rallied from a three-run first inning deficit, taking a 6-3 lead in the fourth, before Leonardos and the Lions rallied back for the victory in the fifth. In the top of the first, a one-out walk to Mary Kuczkowski (Litchfield, N.H.) was followed by a Leonardos single. With two on, sophomore Lindsey Lowe (Porter Ranch, Calif.) singled up the middle to score the first run of the game. Senior Alena Jones (Woodinville, Wash.) followed with a two-run single to give the visitors the early advantage. 

Wellesley got one run back on a Julianne Griffin (Blue Bell, Pa.) RBI groundout in the bottom of the second. The Blue would go on to take the lead in the bottom of the third, scoring three runs on three hits and one Emerson error, to jump ahead 4-3. After leading off the inning with a single, first year Holly Chin (Newton, Mass.) scored on an error that allowed sophomore Alyssa Hana to reach base. After first year Marisa Hensch walked, sophomore Gen Brittingham (Aliso Viejo, Calif.) brought Hana in with an RBI double to right. Hensch would later score on an RBI groundout from Jill O'Shea (Moseley, Va.).

Wellesley added two runs on back-to-back bases loaded walks in the bottom of the fourth. However, the Blue left the bases loaded to end the inning, advancing to the fifth with a 6-4 lead. Emerson rallied all the way back in the top of the inning. Leonardos tied the contest with her fourth home run of the season, but an RBI double from first year Lexi Semanchik (Flemington, N.J.) and an RBI single from first year Cali Pratt (Dighton, Mass.) gave the Lions an 8-6 lead. 

Emerson sophomore Neely Eddleston (West Wareham, Mass.) allowed one base runner in the fifth and a pair of base runners in the fifth but worked out of trouble before pitching a 1-2-3 seventh to improve to 6-3 with the win. Wellesley starter Sydney Hopper (Newcastle, Wash.) gave-up seven hits and eight runs to drop to 3-3 on the season. 

The Blue continue NEWMAC play with a doubleheader tomorrow at noon against cross town rival Babson College. Emerson will travel to Springfield tomorrow at 1:00 PM.