Blue Softball Rallies Past Wheaton, Babson At NEWMAC Tournament

WORCESTER, Mass. – Wellesley College softball erased early deficits in back-to-back games to stave off elimination and advance to day three of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Tournament on Saturday at WPI's Rooftop Field. The fifth-seeded Blue eliminated third-seeded Wheaton College in game one, 8-6, before toppling fourth-seeded Babson College, 9-5, in game two.

Wellesley will play second-seeded MIT next Saturday, May 7, at 12:00 PM at WPI's Rooftop Field for the right to face host WPI at 2:00 PM. [Please note updated times]

No. 5 Wellesley 8, No. 3 Wheaton 6
Courtesy WPI Athletic Communications 

Sophomore Amanda Manning (Durham, Calif.) belted a two-out grand slam in the top of the sixth to lift fifth-seeded Wellesley to an 8-6 come from behind triumph over third-seeded Wheaton.

Trailing 6-0 after two, Wellesley began to chip away at their deficit with two runs in the fourth and again in the fifth before Manning cleared the fence, and the bases, in the sixth. 

The Blue put two on the board in the top of the fourth behind a two-RBI single to center by first year Veronica Locher (Walnut Creek, Calif.). Wellesley then had a pair of runners in scoring position; however, a ground ball double play ended the inning. The Blue inched closer with two more in the fifth as Manning connected on a productive out and junior Ashtyn Coleman (Scottsdale, Ariz.) followed with an RBI single. 

After the first nine batters of the game went down in order, Wheaton senior Kelly Welch (Wood Dale, Ill.) led off the home half of the second with a single to center. She would be the first of six Lyons to cross home plate in the frame as senior Erin Deneen (Framingham, Mass.), junior Mary DeMoura (Boston, Mass.) and junior Caroline Fairbanks (Milford, Mass.) each drove in a pair of RBI. 

Manning finished 2-for-4 with five RBI and two runs scored as Locher (two RBI) and senior Jaclyn Tsang (Manalapan, N.J.) batted 3-for-4 with a run scored. Senior Carly Bresee (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) added a double, a walk and two runs scored. Junior Kendra Coleman (Scottsdale, Ariz.) chipped in with a sacrifice bunt as she teamed with Locher and Tsang on a double play. Sophomore Madeline Bianchi (Lakeville, Minn.) improved to 12-9 in the complete game for the Blue. 

Dineen (two RBI, run) and senior Emma Hart (Lincoln, R.I.) (walk, run) each went 2-for-3, as DeMoura (two RBI, run) and junior Emily Bouthillette (Lincoln, R.I.) (run) had a 2-for-4 day at the dish. Junior Danielle Cimino (Cumberland, Maine) struck out two in four-plus innings of work while sophomore Allison Cox (Torrance, Calif.) shouldered the decision (10-4). 

No. 5 Wellesley 9, No. 4 Babson 5

Fifth-seeded Wellesley scored seven runs in the top of the sixth inning to erase a 5-2 deficit and eliminate fourth-seeded Babson with a 9-5 victory in their second-straight elimination game on Saturday.

Locher started the sixth-inning rally, belting a single up the middle to lead off the inning to notch the first of five consecutive hits for the Blue. With the bases loaded, Tsang singled to drive home a run, before Bresee doubled down the right field line to tie the contest at 5-5. Babson picked up back-to-back outs, as the Blue took the lead on the second when Ashtyn Coleman lifted a sacrifice fly to center to score Tsang. Bresee would eventually come around to score on an RBI double from junior Anna Pisac (Snohomish, Wash.). Starting pitcher Julia Warner (Kenmore, Wash.) traded places with Pisac to score the sixth run, doubling down the right field line. Locher completed the rally, hitting her second single of the inning to bring home Warner, as the Blue batted around to take a 9-5 lead. 

Following a scoreless first inning, Babson scored a run in three-straight frames to take a 3-0 lead after four innings. First year Ashley Tango (Reading, Mass.) opened up the second with a solo home run. The Beavers then got a run on a throwing error in the second inning before senior Maya Lacy (East Mill Creek, Utah) went yard in the fourth inning. 

The Blue got two runs back in the top of the fifth inning, on RBIs from Manning and Ashtyn Coleman, only to see the Beavers counter with two runs in the bottom half of the inning. First year Josephine Mares (Houston, Texas) opened the home half with a single. Mares then scored when classmate Annie Quine (Santa Monica, Calif.) launched her third home run of the season to make the score 5-2. The Blue countered in a big way, scoring seven runs in the next inning to take the 9-5 victory.

First year Sydney Hopper (Newcastle, Wash.) pitched three innings of scoreless relief to earn her first victory of the season (1-1). Bresee and Ashtyn Coleman each totaled two RBIs to lead the Blue, with Bresee also scoring two runs. Bresee, Pisac, Warner and Locher all had two hits in the contest. Pisac, Warner and Locher also recorded one RBI apiece.

Mares, Quine, Lacy and senior Caitie Benoit (Williamstown, Mass.) all totaled two hits to lead the Beavers. Mares had a team-high two runs scored, while Quine registered a team-best two RBIs. In the circle, starting pitcher Ali Reilly (New Canaan, Conn.) went 6.1 innings and was charged with six runs to drop to 17-9 on the season.

Wellesley will face MIT next Saturday, May 7, at 10:00 AM at WPI. Should the Blue face WPI, they would need two wins to capture the NEWMAC title, as the top-seeded Engineers are currently 2-0 in the double-elimination format.