Blue Softball Drops Two To No. 19 Babson In Home Opener

WELLESLEY, Mass. – No. 19 Babson College softball used a pair of outstanding pitching performances from senior Ali Reilly (New Canaan, Conn.) and sophomore Brooke Stock (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) to sweep past Wellesley College softball in a New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) doubleheader on Saturday at the Wellesley Fields Complex. The Beavers took game one, 8-0, in five innings, before earning a 4-1 win in game two. 

Reilly recorded her 51st career victory in game one to become Babson's all-time wins leader while helping the Beavers improve to 12-5 overall and 3-1 in conference. The Blue are now 4-9 on the season (1-3 NEWMAC).

Babson 8, Wellesley 0 (5 innings)

Babson scored eight runs on six hits and three Wellesley errors to win game one in five innings. Reilly tossed a one-hitter in the contest, striking out six, while walking three, to improve to 7-1 on the season.

Six different Babson players recorded a hit in game one, led by junior Alex Corrigan (Middletown, N.J.) who finished 1-for-3 with a two-run double that came as part of a six-run third inning for the Beavers. Senior Samantha Smith (Hillsborough, N.J.) and Reilly also drove in runs for the Beavers, who plated four runs on Wellesley errors.

First year Gen Brittingham (Aliso Viejo, Calif.) extended her hit streak to six games, but the Blue bats could not find a way to start a rally against Reilly. 

Babson scored one in the second, as Tango singled back up the middle to plate junior Annie Quine (Santa Monica, Calif.) after Quine started the inning with a leadoff walk. The Beavers put the game out of reach in the third, scoring six runs on three hits and two Wellesley errors to take a 7-0 lead. The Beavers got one more on another Wellesley miscue in the top of the eighth, as Jacqueline Paul (Burlington, N.J.) scored to make it 8-0 when the Blue failed to handle a pop-up on the infield. 

First year Thyme Morton (Tucson, Ariz.) reached base with a two-out walk in the fifth, but Wellesley was unable to bring her around to score as the game ended in the fifth due to the eight-run differential. Wellesley senior Julia Warner (Kenmore, Wash.) pitched 2.1 innings and was charged with three runs to drop to 3-4 on the season in the loss. 

Babson 4, Wellesley 1

Not to be outdone by Reilly's performance in game one, Stock carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning of game two, eventually earning a complete game two-hit victory to improve to 5-3 on the season.

Stock struck out five and walked just one over seven innings of work. Both Wellesley hits came in the bottom of the seventh, as Brittingham singled to right to extend her hit streak to seven games and sophomore Autumn Brown (Marshfield, Mass.) doubled to left center to lead off the inning. With two on and no out, the Blue would only get one run across, with Brittingham scoring on a sacrifice fly from sophomore Kalei Oliver (Vista, Calif.) to make the score 4-1. 

Babson broke open a scoreless game in the top of the fifth, loading the bases on back-to-back walks to Tango and Stock and an error that allowed sophomore Victoria Casey (Emerson, N.J.) to reach. The Beavers then scored on back-to-back passed balls after Madeline Bianchi (Lakeville, Minn.) came on to try to help starter Sydney Hopper (Newcastle, Wash.) out of the bases loaded situation.

The Beavers would get two more in the top of the sixth, again scoring one run on a passed ball, while also getting an RBI single from Tango. Stock then set down the Blue 1-2-3 in the bottom of the sixth before working her way out of trouble in the seventh to end the game 4-1. Tango finished game two 2-for-2 with a walk, a run scored, and an RBI to lead the Beavers.

Hopper was charged with the loss despite striking out four and not surrendering an earned run in 6.1 innings of action. Hopper came back into the game in the sixth after being replaced by Bianchi in the fifth. 

Wellesley will play at Springfield in the their next doubleheader on Wednesday, April 4. Game one is scheduled for 3:00 PM. Babson will play non-conference Endicott in a pair of games on Tuesday, April 3, beginning at 3:00 PM.