Blue Softball Splits Extra Innings Games with Elmhurst, St. Lawrence in Clermont

CLERMONT, Fla. – Wellesley College softball went to extra innings in both games on Thursday with a win and a loss at Legends Way Ballfield. After winning 6-4 in the eighth against Elmhurst University, the Blue (6-4 Overall) fell 4-3 to St. Lawrence University. 

First year Emily Kulhanek (Newbury Park, Calif.) smacked a two-run homer for Wellelsey in the eighth inning of game one to propel the Blue to a win. Classmate Jillian Colgan (Las Vegas, Nev.) pitched all eight innings of the first game to improve to 2-1 on the season.

Game 1 | Wellesley 6, Elmhurst 4 | Final (8 Innings)

Kulhanek's two-run dinger broke a 4-4 stalemate in the eighth for Wellesley to give the team a win over Elmhurst (3-5 Overall). 

The Blue started with an early run in the first inning on sacrifice fly from sophomore Chiara Lundin (Piedmont, Calif.). Wellesley added a pair of runs in the third. Colgan doubled in a run and Kulhanek hit a sacrifice fly out to center field.

Neither team scored again until the bottom of the sixth when Elmhurst loaded the bases. Sophomore Ali Mockenhaupt (Tracy, Iowa) came home on an error. Next, classmate Brenna Morley (Winthrop Harbor, Ill.) cleared the bags with a three-run double to put the Bluejays up 4-3.

Wellesley tied the game at 4-4 in the top of the seventh on a sacrifice fly to center that scored senior Parker Phillips (River Forest, Ill.).The score remained knotted at 4-4 after seven innings, sending the contest into extras.

Kulhanek's previously mentioned home run was the deciding factor for the Blue, who finished off a 6-4 win with a clean bottom of the seventh.

Colgan struck out five over eight innings for Wellesley. Mockenhaupt and junior Chiara O'Leary (Norridge, Ill.) combined for six strikeouts for the Bluejays. Wellesley was limited to just four hits while Elmhurst produced five.

Game 2 | St. Lawrence 4, Wellesley 3 | Final (8 Innings)

First year Allison Kloft (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) had a pair of RBIs, including a game-winner in the eighth, for St. Lawrence (4-4 Overall). 

The Saints picked up a run in the second when senior Meredith Rose (Endwell, N.Y.) advanced home on an error. The 1-0 score held until the fifth inning. 

St. Lawrence recorded two runs in the top of the fifth. Junior Vivian Johnson (San Rafael, Calif.) slapped a single to right field to score a run. Later, Kloft hit into a fielder's choice that brought home first year Maeve Thompson (Burlington, Ontario).

Wellesley found its footing with three runs coming in the bottom of the fifth. Colgan broke open the floodgates with a two-run single up the middle. She later scored on a double to left center by sophomore Andrea Delgado (Miami, Fla.).

The 3-3 score carried past the end of the seventh and into extras. A Kloft single in the eighth brought home Thompson. Junior Sofia Berryhill (Pleasant Hill, Calif.) went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the eighth to close the game and earn a save.

Junior Lauren Young (Fresno, Calif.) fanned three over five innings of work for Wellesley. First year Sarah Wicker (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.) registered three strikeouts in relief. 

First year Izzy Melanson (Norfolk, Mass.) had six strikeouts across 4.2 innings. Reliever Layne Fritz (Stafford, Va.) earned the win with 2.1 clean innings pitched. St. Lawrence had eight hits and Wellesley had seven.

Next up, the Blue head to Nichols for a 3 & 5 PM doubleheader on Tuesday, March 26.