Wellesley Softball Defeats William Paterson, Drops Game to Western New England in Clermont

CLERMONT, Fla. – Wellesley College softball went 1-1 on Monday. The team defeated William Paterson University 13-3 in the morning before falling 4-2 to Western New England University later in the day at Hancock Park Fields. 

First year Sarah Wicker (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.) tossed a complete game against William Paterson with eight strikeouts for the Blue (3-3 Overall). Senior Parker Phillips (River Forest, Ill.) was electric with two doubles, four RBIs, and three runs scored on the day.

Game 1 | Wellesley 13, William Paterson 3 | Final

Led by Wicker and Phillips, Wellesley controlled the pace against William Paterson in a comfortable 13-3 victory.

First year Jillian Colgan (Las Vegas, Nev.) put Wellesley up 1-0 in the top of the third by driving in senior Elli DeCleene (North Reading, Mass.) with a double to left.

Wellesley scored three more runs in the top of the fourth. Phillips knocked in a pair of runs on a double through the left side. Phillips later scored on an error to give the Blue a 4-0 lead.

After an 88 minute weather delay, the Pioneers put two on the board in the bottom of the fourth. Junior Courtney Schwark (Port Ewen, N.Y.) came home on an error before first year Samantha Campos (River Edge, N.J.) scored on a fielder's choice.

The Blue answered back with nine unanswered runs between the fifth and seventh innings. Sophomore Emeline Gaunce (Los Altos, Calif.) crossed the plate on a wild pitch to start the offense in the fifth. Phillips followed with a two-run double to left center. Phillips later scored on a single from first year Karen Xiao (Berwyn, Pa.).

First year Alena Mulhern (Kingston, Mass.) added another run in the sixth by scoring on a wild pitch. William Paterson nearly scored in the bottom of the sixth. Phillips made a diving stop in center to save the run.

Wellesley added another four runs in the seventh. Wicker came home on an error. Phillips scored on a grounder from sophomore Andrea Delgado (Miami, Fla.). Junior Charis Chung (San Gabriel, Calif.) and first year Kyra Parsons (Boston, Mass.) both scored later in the inning.

William Paterson managed to score one in the bottom of the seventh on a deep triple from grad student Jillian Bigos (Red Bank, N.J.). Wicker closed out the complete game with a popout to first.

Game 2 | Western New England 4, Wellesley 2 | Final

A pair of seventh inning runs gave Western New England (1-5) a 4-2 win over Wellesley.

Senior Kaleigh Blades (Merrimack, N.H.) gave Western New England a 2-0 lead in the top of the second with a single up the middle that brought two home.

Wellesley made it a 2-1 game in the bottom of the third. First year Diana Borrison (San Jose, Calif.) scored on a grounder from classmate Ashley Galbraith (Frisco, Texas). Colgan knotted the game up at 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth with a single to first.

The Golden Bears picked up its third and fourth runs on an error in the top of the seventh. Grad student Kailey Carrano (West Haven, Conn.) and Blades scored on the play. Wellesley was unable to score in the bottom of the seventh. Western New England sophomore Riley Kane (Prospect, Conn.) picked up the save.

Junior Ava Blanchard (New Hartford, Conn.) pitched six innings of one-run ball with a trio of strikeouts for the Golden Bears. Colgan threw a complete game for Wellesley with four strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.00.

After an off day tomorrow, the Blue play two games on Wednesday, March 20. The team faces Clarkson at 11:15 AM and Millikin at 4:00 PM. Both games will be played at Legends Way Fields Clermont, Fla.