Wellesley Softball Downs Wheaton; Advances to NEWMAC Championship

WELLESLEY, Mass. -- A Six-run fourth inning powered the top-seeded Wellesley College softball team to an 8-3 victory over second-seeded Wheaton College on Sunday afternoon in a winners bracket game at the 2014 New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Softball Tournament at Wellesley. 

The victory advances the Blue (26-9) to Saturday's NEWMAC Championship game without a loss. Wheaton will now play in the loser's bracket final on Saturday morning at 10:00am, taking on the winner of today's game against #3 WPI and #6 Smith.

Wheaton struck first with a pair of runs in the top of the third. A Wellesley miscue and am Ashley Brillon single put runners of first and second with no outs to start the inning. Wellesley erased the lead runner on the next play, but a throw to second intending to pick off a runner was knocked to the outfield and Brillon hustled back to her feet, took third and then raced home to score for a 1-0 lead. Wheaton got their second run on a hard-hit Jenna Rocha single through the right side.

Wellesley answered in the bottom of the third, with a towering two-run home run off the bat of Ashtyn Coleman. Coleman's blast scored Abby Casey who lead off the inning with a single up the middle. 

After tying the game, the Blue's Johnson got a one-two-three top of the fourth, setting up Wellesley's huge inning. The Blue scored six runs on seven hits to open up an 8-2 advantage. Emilyrose Havrilla led off the inning with a single and Anna Pisac followed with a double to left. Jennifer Migliore then drove in a run on a single to right, while Mariah Philips plated a pair with a single through the right side to make it 5-2. After an Ashtyn Coleman single to center, Jaclyn Tsang made it 6-2 with a single to left. Jayne Ellis followed with an infield single that scored a run, and the Blue got the sixth run of the inning on a double steal in which Ellis tied up the defenders long enough to allow Tsang to cross the plate, making it 8-2, Wellesley.

Wheaton rallied for a run in the top of the seventh inning, but their late comeback fell short. Madeline Hatch reached on a hit by pitch to start the inning, and was sent to second following a ground out. A Brillon single advanced Hatch to third where Mary DeMoura sent her home on a sacrifice fly to right field. Wellesley's Lindsay Johnson then induced a ground ball to short to end the Wheaton threat, giving Wellesley a spot in next Saturday's championship game.

Every member of the Wellesley line-up reached base in the game, as the Blue tallied 12 total hits. Ashtyn Coleman led the charge with a 4-for-4 performance, as the rookie recorded a double, a home run and a pair of RBI in the win. Havrilla finished her day 2-for-3, while Philips drove in a pair of runs for the Blue. Rounding out the Wellesley offense, Tsang, Ellis, and Migliore all added RBI.

Johnson recorded the win for Wellesley, moving to 17-6 on the season. The senior threw seven innings for the Blue, allowing a pair of earned runs, while scattering six hits and striking out three. 

Wheaton's offense was paced by three hits from Brillon, while Jenna Rocha added a pair of hits. DeMoura and Rocha drove in runs for the Lyons in the setback. In the circle, Allison Baker suffered the loss, throwing the first three innings, allowing six runs on seven hits with one strikeout. Jillian Rocha pitched two innings in relief, allowing two runs on four hits, while Noelle Christmas tossed the final inning, allowing just one hit.