Leopards Continue Conference Play Against Gordon

BOSTON, Mass. – Freshman Rachel Morrissey (Mashpee, Mass.) went 5-for-7 with a pair of doubles to help pace the Gordon softball team to a sweep of Wentworth, 12-5 and 11-1, in a The Commonwealth Coast Conference doubleheader played on Carr Diamond.

The Fighting Scots, who snapped a three-game losing streak and improved to 6-10 overall and 3-5 in league play, got on the board in the top of the first inning when junior Kerry McPartlan (Yonkers, N.Y.) singled in senior Kristen Terry (Chalfont, Pa.), who had led off the game with a single.  The Leopards countered with an unearned run in the bottom of the first when senior Jen Giudice (Central Valley, N.Y.) reached after a passed ball on a strike out and stole second.  A groundout moved her to third before senior Bridget Souza (Medford, Mass.) grounded out to score her.

Gordon added four runs in the top of the third, thanks in part to a two-run double from Morrissey and increased its lead to 6-1 in the fourth inning on an unearned run before leaving the bases loaded.  In the home half of the inning the hosts trimmed the lead to 6-5, thanks in part to an RBI double from junior Randi Swihart (Gardner, Mass.) and an RBI infield single from Giudice, as well as a pair of Gordon errors.

Holding a 6-5 lead through four innings, the Fighting Scots used three runs in the fifth inning on a bases-loaded walk from senior Emily Borden (Vernon, N.J.) and a two-run single from McPartlan to take a 9-5 lead.  Gordon added three more runs in the seventh to round out the scoring.

Freshman Skylar Bareford (Stonington, Conn.) picked up the win (1-1) in 6.1 innings of relief work, as she allowed four runs (two earned) on six hits and struck out six.  Junior Claire Bennett (Mumford, N.Y.) started and pitched the first two-third of an inning, allowing an unearned run.  At the plate, Morrissey was 4-for-5 with three RBI, while McPartlan was 3-for-5 with four RBI.

Freshman Stephanie MacLeay (Ashley Falls, N.Y.) took the loss for the Leopards, while Giudice had a pair of hits to pace the offense.

In the nightcap, Wentworth took a 1-0 lead in the home half of the first inning when Giudice led off with a single, stole second, and scored on a double by junior Samantha Altieri (Lakeville, Mass.).  However, the lead wouldn't last long as the Fighting Scots scored twice in the top of the second, thanks in part to junior Rachel Otto (Plymouth, Mass.), who had an RBI on a fielder's choice and eventually scored on a wild pitch.  An inning later Gordon added two more runs on a home run to center off Borden's bat.

Gordon broke the game open in the top of the fifth with a seven-run inning.  Terry had a two-run single, with freshman Kendall Bukuras (North Falmouth, Mass.) and McPartlan each helping the cause with RBI singles.

Bennett and junior Elisabeth Cheesman (Winslow, Maine) had two hits apiece, with Terry and Borden each drove in two runs.  Junior Hannah Lawrence (Somerset, Mass.) picked up the win (3-3), allowing one run on three hits.

Three different players recorded hits for the Leopards (0-21, 0-10 TCCC), while freshman Haylee Bacik (Lowell, Mass.) took the loss, allowing four runs (three earned) on three hits in two innings of work.