Blue Softball Earns A Pair of Wins Over Clark

WELLESLEY, Mass. – Wellesley College softball opened NEWMAC season with a two-game sweep of Clark University on Saturday at Wellesley Athletic Complex.

First year Anisa Rodriguez (La Quinta, Calif.) was the hero of game one for the Blue (9-5 Overall, 2-0 NEWMAC). Rodriguez belted a walk-off double in the bottom of the eighth inning that scored classmate Jillian Colgan (Las Vegas, Nev.).

First year Sarah Wicker (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.) struck out 10 in a complete game win for Wellesley in the second half of the doubleheader. 

Game 1 | Wellesley 3, Clark 2 | Final (8 Innings)

Junior Lauren Young (Fresno, Calif.) and Colgan each threw four innings for Wellesley. Colgan struck out a trio of hitters. Young recorded a strikeout.

The game began with three scoreless innings from both teams. The Cougars (4-10 Overall, 0-2 NEWMAC) broke the scoring drought in the top of the fourth with an RBI single from sophomore Felicia Salvati (Naugatuck, Conn.).

Wellesley responded with a run in the bottom of the fifth. Wicker drove in classmate Alena Mulhern (Kingston, Mass.).

The scored remained 1-1 after seven innings of action, sending the game into extras. Clark drove in grad student Reilly Bronson (Seymour, Conn.) on a grounder in the top of the eighth. 

The Blue came to bat down 2-1 in the bottom of the eighth. The team tied it up at 2-2 when Colgan hit into a fielder's choice that scored junior Charis Chung (San Gabriel, Calif.). Rodriguez followed with the double that gave the Blue a game one victory.

First year Megan Dube (Leominster, Mass.) threw 7.1 innings with four strikeouts for the Cougars. 

Game 2 | Wellesley 6, Clark 1 | Final

In addition to Wicker's strong outing, Rodriguez went 3-for-3 with an RBI and Colgan drove in two runs for Wellesley.

Clark scored its lone run in the top of the second inning. Sophomore Magdalena Barthel (East Haven, Conn.) brought home Salvati on a single up the middle.

The Blue quickly erased the one-run deficit when Rodriguez scored on a grounder from first year Diana Borrison (San Jose, Calif.). Wellesley added two runs in the bottom of third. Rodriguez singled in a run to make it 2-1. Mulhern later crossed the plate when first year Emily Kulhanek (Newbury Park, Calif.) was hit by a pitch. 

Wellesley tacked on three more runs in the fourth to make it 6-1. Mulhern hit a single through the left side that scored a run. Colgan followed it up with a double down the left field line that put two runs on the board. 

Neither team scored in the final three innings.

Sophomore Keira Langus (Dover, N.H.) started for Clark and threw 3.1 innings. Classmate Brooke Buzzeo (Trumbull, Conn.) pitched two clean innings of relief. The Blue recorded nine hits and limited the Cougars to four.

Up next, the Blue will host Dean for Earn The W Day on Wednesday, April 3 at 3 & 5 PM. The Cougars are at Fitchburg State at 3 & 5 PM on Tuesday, April 2.