Blue Softball Sweeps Coast Guard To Close Out NEWMAC Regular Season

NEW LONDON, Conn. – Wellesley College softball swept the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in a New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon. The Blue earned a 6-0 shuout win in game one and an 11-4 win in game two.

Wellesley ends the regular season at 11-15-2 overall and 7-10-1 in NEWMAC play, while Coast Guard moves to 18-18 overall and 6-10 in conference play. 

Game 1 | Wellesley 6, Coast Guard 0 | Final

First year Hayley Moniz (Westfield, Mass.) pitched a complete game shutout, giving-up just four hits and striking out two, as the Blue defeated Coast Guard 6-0 in game one.

Moniz was also 3-for-4, with a double and an RBI to lead the Blue at the plate. Junior Kendall Smith (Turlock, Calif.) finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI, while classmate Autumn Brown (Marshfield, Mass.) matched Moniz with a game-high three hits. Eight different Wellesley players recorded a hit in game one, with the Blue collecting 13 in the contest.

Smith scored on an RBI single from sophomore Gen Brittingham (Aliso Viejo, Calif.) in the top of the first to give the Blue a 1-0 lead. Wellesley increased its advantage to 3-0 in the top of the fourth inning, scoring on a Coast Guard error before Smith singled to drive Moniz home.

First year Marisa Hensch (Carlsbad, Calif.) joined in the offensive effort in the sixth inning, lifting a one-out double to left to drive in a pair of runs. Moniz later capped the scoring with an RBI single to left center in the top of the seventh inning to make the score 6-0.

Moniz worked around a walk in the first before escaping a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the second. The first year starter gave-up a hit in the third inning but would go on to pitch four consecutive 1-2-3 innings to clinch her fourth victory (4-5) off the season. 

Coast Guard starter Julia Ferris (Falls Church, Va.) was only charged with one earned run over 5.1 innings of work, as the Bears committed three errors in the contest. Ferris is now 10-8 overall. Junior Claire Hurley (Waterford, Conn.) was 1-for-2 and reached base on a walk to lead the Bears. 

Game 2 | Wellesley 9, Coast Guard 1 | Final

Wellesley broke open a 1-1 game with an eight-run third inning en route to an 11-6 win in game two and a sweep of the Bears.

Hensch hammered out three RBI in game two, scoring two runs and recording two hits including a double in the third. Smith was 3-for-5 with three runs scored out of the leadoff spot. Brittingham was 3-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored in the clean-up position. Junior Kalei Oliver (Vista, Calif.) added a pair of RBI, finishing the game 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. Sophomore Julianne Griffin (Blue Bell, Pa.) was 2-for-3 with a home run and a pair of RBI. 

Hurley was a perfect 4-for-4 in game two for Coast Guard, hitting a pair of doubles. Senior Sharayah Simco (Portsmouth, Ohio) drove in three runs, while junior Carly Hattman (Egg Harbor, N.J.), sophomore Charlee Kraiss (Lake Havasu City, Ariz.) and senior Malia Hindle (Seaville, N.J.) each recorded a pair of hits. Hattman was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored out of the leadoff spot.

The Blue scored on a Hensch RBI groundout in the first only to see Coast Guard tie the contest an inning later when Simco lifted a sacrifice fly to center. The tie was short lived as the Blue seized an opportunity for a big inning in the top of the third, scoring eight runs on six hits and three Coast Guard errors to jump ahead 9-1. Oliver and Hensch each recorded two-RBI doubles in the frame as the Blue batted around to take control of the contest. 

The Bears got three back in the bottom of the fourth inning, with Simco driving in a pair with an RBI double to right centerfield before Hattman later singled with two away in the inning to score Simco. With Coast Guard now trailing 9-4, Wellesley tacked two runs on in the top of the fifth. Griffin hit her second home run in as many days to make the score 10-4. Smith made it 11-4 when she scored on a double theft of second and home with sophomore Alyssa Hana (Newton, Mass.).

Coast Guard got both runs back in the bottom of the seventh but Blue senior Sydney Hopper (Newcastle, Wash.) got Simco to groundout to end the game with the score at 11-6. First year Caitlin Gordon (North Vancouver, BC, Canada) picked-up the win in game two, pitching 3.2 innings in relief for the Blue. 

Coast Guard will host Babson tomorrow at 3:00 and 5:00 PM to close out the NEWMAC regular season. Information concerning the 2019 NEWMAC Softball Championship tournament will be posted on newmacsports.com at the conclusion of regular season play.