Offense Gives Blue Softball Game Two Against Wheaton

WELLESLEY, Mass. – Wellesley College softball split a NEWMAC  doubleheader with Wheaton College on Saturday at the Wellesley Fields Complex. The Blue (14-20 Overall, 6-12 NEWMAC) rallied to win game two, 6-2, after dropping the opener to the Lyons (18-15 Overall, 11-5 NEWMAC) 5-2. 

Game 1 | Wheaton 5, Wellesley 2 | Final

Wheaton (18-15 overall, 11-5 NEWMAC) senior Lindsey Oliveria (Westport, Mass.) drove in three runs and classmate Sofia Knopf (Norton, Mass) pitched a complete game, scattering nine hits over seven innings and surrendering only two runs, to lead the Lyons to a 5-2 victory in the opener.

Wheaton junior Juliette Zito (Woodbridge, Conn.) and first year Ella Molinari (Grafton, Mass.) each recorded a pair of hits for Wheaton. Molinari also scored a pair of runs. Wellesley (14-20 overall, 6-12 NEWMAC) starter Lauren Young (Fresno, Calif.) went five innings, giving up just four hits and two runs. Senior Emma Slibeck (New York, N.Y.) surrendered three runs, two earned, on three hits in two innings of relief. 

With the Lyons leading 1-0 in the fourth inning Oliveria picked-up a fielder's choice RBI to double the advantage. In the sixth inning, Olivieria tallied two more RBIs on a double to left center field that pushed the Wheaton lead to 4-0. Wheaton would eventually take a 5-0 lead following a Wellesley miscue in the top of the sixth inning.

The Blue made a push in the bottom half of the sixth, scoring when first year Diana Borrison (San Jose, Calif.) brought classmate Karen Xiao (Berwyn, Pa.) around on an RBI groundout after the Blue had opened the inning with back-to-back hits from sophomore Chiara Lundin (Piedmont, Calif.) and first year Emily Kulhanek (Newbury Park, Calif.). Senior Julz Vargas (Los Angeles, Calif.) later made the score 5-2 with an RBI single to drive home Kulhanek. Kulhanek finished the game 2-for-3 with a run scored. 

With Wellesley still trailing 5-2 in the bottom of the seventh, sophomore Andrea Delgado (Miami, Fla.) singled with one out before stealing second to move into scoring position. Delgado advanced again on a ground out from first year Sarah Wicker (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla) but ended the game on third when Knopf (9-5 overall) got the final Wellesley batter to fly out to center. 

Game 2 | Wellesley 6, Wheaton 2 | Final

Wellesley rallied for a 6-2 victory in game two, scoring three runs in the bottom of the third inning and three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, to snap an eight-game skid and help Wicker cruise to her sixth victory of the season (6-9 overall). 

Wicker went the distance in game two, striking out four while giving-up six hits and three walks. Wicker was also 1-for-3 at the dish with a pair of runs scored. Lundin did the damage for the Blue in game two, going 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a run scored out of the leadoff spot.

The Lyons put up two runs in a rally effort in the top of the sixth. Sophomore Peyton Blankenheim-Brown (Rio Linda, Calif.) knocked in a run with a single up the middle. Another single courtesy of junior Grace DiBacco (Selkirk, N.Y.) made it 6-2 in Wellesley's favor. Wicker settled down and snuffed out the comeback effort. The first year ace later retired the Lyons in the top of the seventh to close out the win for Wellesley.

Blankenheim-Brown struck out two over 3.2 innings for Wheaton. Sophomore Amber Arcand (Millville, Mass.) tossed 2.1 clean innings of relief.

The Blue will welcome Worcester State for a non-conference 3 & 5 PM doubleheader on Wednesday, May 1. The Lyons play at WPI at 3:30 & 5:30 PM on Friday, May 3.