Wellesley Softball Falls in Heartbreaker Against WPI

Worcester, Mass. --- Erin Beaulieu's eighth inning RBI single provided host WPI a thrilling 3-2 walk off victory over Wellesley Wednesday evening in a NEWMAC softball contest.  WPI is now 7-17 on the year and 3-7 in NEWMAC play while the Blue slips to 17-8 overall and 6-3 in conference action.

WPI trailed 2-1 headed to the bottom of the seventh and was down to its final out when Lauren DiFelice ripped a 1-1 pitch to left center to chase home Juliana Fekete, who had reached on a 10 pitch walk, with the tying run. 

Wellesley had a chance to go ahead in the top of the eighth when Mara Blesoff dumped a single to right center but right fielder Andrea Boxell deflected the ball to center fielder Nicole McDonough who fired a strike to Fekete at the plate to throw out a runner trying to score from second base.

In the bottom of the eighth, Ali LaRue was placed on second as part of the international tie-breaker rule and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Amanda Pierce. Beaulieu was the hero a batter later when she delivered a game-winning single into left field to bring home LaRue.

It was Wellesley that rallied from a 1-0 deficit with single runs in the sixth and seventh innings. Maria LaBouyer plated Kimberly Cabral with an RBI double to tie the contest before Lauren Goldfarb knocked home pinch runner Jaclyn Tsang with a single through the left side a frame later to push the Blue ahead 2-1. Jennifer Migliore's leadoff double led to the Wellesley run.

WPI scored the game's first run when McDonough scurried home after Jacquelyne DiTroia legged out a bunt single where the trying to nail her at first was thrown away.

Clare Doolin went the distance in the circle for WPI to up her record to 5-8.  The freshman scattered eight hits and worked around five walks while allowing one earned run and striking out two. Sarah Schwartzmeyer worked the final four innings for the Blue, getting nine of her 12 outs via the strikeout.

DiTroia, Pierce and Beaulieu all registered two hits for WPI while Carly Bresee and Blesoff did the same for Wellesley.  Boxell and Janelle MacLaughlin played solid defense at the corner outfield positions for the hosts, registering five and three putouts respectively.

WPI's Friday doubleheader with Coast Guard has been postponed due to the forecasted rain.  Both teams return to the diamond with noon doubleheaders on Saturday as WPI hosts Brandeis at Clark while Wellesley entertains Clark.