Wellesley Softball Upended by Springfield in NEWMAC Tournament

WELLESLEY, Mass. -- Fourth-seeded Wellesley suffered its first loss of the 2013 NEWMAC Tournament, falling 5-0 to top-seed and host Springfield College. The Blue (22-13) now dip to the consolation bracket and will face third-seeded Babson next Saturday at Springfield. The Pride (24-17) move on in the winners bracket to face sixth-seeded Coast Guard.

Springfield struck for two runs each in the bottom of the first and second, later adding a solo run in the bottom of the fifth. Meanwhile, Wellesley's bats fell silent, as the Blue combined for just four total hits in the game.

The Pride got a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the first inning, capitalizing on a Wellesley fielding miscue. After the leadoff batter reached on an error and found her way to third, Springfield scored on a Jenna Webb infield single and later on a fielder's choice from Breann Joyce.

Springfield doubled its lead in the bottom of the second, striking for two more runs. A leadoff single from Elizabeth Joseph and later a double from Kelly Blake put runners on second and third with one out. An infield single from Christina Leader, combined with Wellesley throwing the ball around the infield allowed both of the runs to score, making it 4-0.

The Pride scored their fifth run in the fifth off of a single from Joyce. Leader started it off with a bunt single to third and was advanced to second on a Webb groundout to set up Joyce's RBI.

Wellesley's hits, all singles, were scattered between Abby Casey, Lauren Goldfarb, Kimberly Cabral and Samantha Spiga. In the circle for the Blue, Lindsay Johnson suffered the loss, allowing five runs (three earned) on eight hits with two walks and four strikeouts.

Springfield was paced by a 2-for-2 performance from Leader, who added two RBI. Blake added a pair of hits, while Joyce and Webb each drove in runs.

Jen Joseph got the start and the win for the Pride, moving to 14-7 overall. She threw the first five, allowing just a pair of singles, while striking out five. Cassie Cadorette came on in relief, throwing two scoreless innings, allowing two hits with two strikeouts.