Warner K's Career-High 12 as Blue Softball Downs Colby in Clermont

CLERMONT, Fla. -- Senior Julia Warner (Kenmore, Wash.) struck out a career-high 12 batters to lead Wellesley College softball to a 6-2 victory over Colby on Sunday at the PFX Athletics Spring Games. Wellesley dropped a 10-2 decision to No. 10 Wisconsin- Whitewater in their second game. The Blue are now 1-5 on the season.

Wellesley 6, Colby 2

Warner set the tone for her career day early in the contest, striking out the side in the bottom of the first before delivering an RBI single to drive home the first Wellesley run in the top of the second. Warner pitched a complete game, walking three and giving up four hits and two earned runs to earn her first win of the year.

First year Julianne Griffin (Blue Bell, Pa.) finished with a game-high three hits for Wellesley, going 3-for-4 with a run scored. Senior Amanda Manning (Chico, Calif.) and first year Gen Brittingham (Aliso Viejo, Calif.) each added two hits. Brittingham helped the Blue take a 2-0 lead in the third when she singled to score classmate Amanda Kim (Neshanic Station, N.J.) from second.

The Blue later jumped to a 5-0 lead in the next inning, scoring three runs on one hit and three Colby errors in the fourth. Leading 5-0, Warner was forced to work her way out of the only real trouble she faced all day in the bottom of the fifth inning. 

With one away, Warner gave-up three straight singles to the Mules before striking out sophomore Carly Swartz (North Reading, Mass.) for the second out of the inning. Sophomore Ella Hommeyer (St. Paul, Minn.) earned a two-out bases loaded walk to score the first Colby run and Lauren Niemiec (Shingle Springs, Calif.) was hit by a pitch to bring home the second, but Warner struck out junior Paige Hartnett (Andover, Mass.) to end the threat with Wellesley leading 5-2.

First year Alyssa Hana (La Mirada, Calif.) got one of the runs back with an RBI double in the top of the seventh to help Wellesley close out the 6-2 win.

Wis. – Whitewater 10, Wellesley 2 (6 inn.)

Michayla Swanson (Randolph, Wis.) and Mallory Klotz (New Berlin, Wis.) each totaled a pair of hits and drove in a pair of runs and Starter Makena Creekmore (Beach Park, Ill.) struck out three and only gave-up one hit in four innings as the No. 10 Warhawks earned a 10-2 six inning victory over the Blue. 

Manning, Griffin, and Warner each added a hit in game two, while Wellesley sophomore Kalei Oliver (Vista, Calif.) had a hit and scored a run in the contest. In the circle, senior Madeline Bianchi (Lakeville, Minn.) was charged with six runs over 4.2 innings in the setback.

The Warhawks broke open a scoreless game in the bottom of the fourth inning, scoring four runs on four hits, including a two-run double from Klotz. Whitewater tagged on three runs in the fourth, two in the fifth, and one in the sixth to end the game early. 

Trailing 4-0, the Blue got one back in the fourth, as Brittingham scored sophomore Kendall Smith (Turlock, Calif.) with an RBI groundout. The rally was short lived as the Warhawks pounded out five hits in the bottom half of the inning, getting RBI singles from Swanson and first year Taylor Briehl (Spring Green, Wis.) to jump to a 7-1 advantage.

The Blue only managed to push one run across with the bases loaded in the top of the fifth, cutting the deficit to 7-2 when Oliver scored as the Warhawks turned the double play. Wellesley would get no closer as Whitewater would eventually walk off when sophomore Dani Biesiada (Lisle, Ill.) reached on a fielders choice with two on and one out in the sixth. 

Wellesley will close out their trip to Clermont on Tuesday, March 27, when they take on Middlebury (9:00 AM) and Union (11:30 AM).