WORCESTER, Mass. – Junior Mary Moroski (Worcester, Mass.) broke the Anna Maria College single season home run record by launching two home runs, including a go-ahead grand slam in game two, as the AMCAT softball team swept a The Commonwealth Coast Conference doubleheader versus the Wentworth Institute of Technology on Thursday afternoon. The AMCATS took game one by the score 7-3 before outlasting the Leopards 15-13 in the nightcap. The pair of victories improve AMC to 14-14 (7-9 TCCC) on the year, while the Leopards fall to 1-32 (0-15 TCCC).
Senior Bridget Souza (Medford, Mass.) paced the offensive attack for the Leopards, going 5-for-8 on the day with five runs batted in, while freshman Haylee Bacik (Lowell, Mass.) went 4-for-5 and reached base seven times. Senior Lizz Harvey (McConnellsburg, Pa.) hit a home run and scored a team-high four runs, while freshman Roniece Bridge (White Plains, N.Y.), senior Jen Giudice (Central Valley, N.Y.), and freshman Amanda O'Neil (Revere, Mass.) each collected three hits in the double-dip.
Moroski surpassed Mary Guilbeault's previous record which had stood for over 30 years after originally being set during the 1980 season. The junior left fielder blasted two round-trippers on the day, scoring five runs while also driving in six more. Freshman Kayla Cummings (Auburn, Maine) also had a terrific day, going 6-for-7 in the twin-billing, while senior Jill Hurley (Worcester, Mass.) drove in six runs on four hits, including three doubles. Senior Allyssa Boykin (Worcester, Mass.) reached base six times on four hits and two walks, coming around to score five runs for the AMCATS, while sophomore Michelle Blackler (Ashland, Mass.) earned a pair of victories on the mound to improve to 8-5 on the year.
Wentworth jumped out to a 3-0 lead in game one, getting a two-run single from Souza and an RBI-single by Bacik in the top of the third.
However, the AMCATS answered right back with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning. After Boykin got things started with a base hit through the left side, Moroski smashed her record-setting sixth home run of the season to cut the Wentworth lead down to 3-2. Hurley kept things going with a double to right center and then hustled to come around and score from second when a third-strike wild pitch was thrown away.
The score remained knotted at three into the bottom of the fifth, when sophomore Tabitha Ruggeri (Sturbridge, Mass.) sparked the AMC offense with leadoff double down the left field line. Cummings then delivered Ruggeri with the go-ahead run on an RBI single to left center.
The AMCATS went on to score three times in the seventh, including a two-run double by Hurley, to seal the 7-3 game one victory.
Game two was an offensive battle, as both teams combined for 28 runs, including 24 over just the first two innings of play.
After the Leopards grabbed the early lead with two runs in the top of the first, the AMCATS stormed back to bat around the order and plate 10 runs in the bottom half of the frame. Hurley drove in four runs during the inning with a double and a single, while junior Samantha Putis (Charlton, Mass.) added a two-run single.
Undeterred, the Leopards came right back to tie the score in the top of the second, taking advantage of some wild pitching to score eight runs on just one hit. The one hit by WIT was a two-run single up the middle from Souza.
Moroski then launched a mammoth go-ahead grand slam in the bottom of the second to reclaim the lead for good.
The Leopards fought back with a run in the fifth and a two-run homer by Harvey in the sixth, but the AMCATS were able to hold on for the 15-13 victory.
The AMCATS bounce right back to play again on Friday in a doubleheader versus Eastern Nazarene on the road starting at 3:00 pm, while the Leopards take to the field again on Saturday, hosting Regis in a TCCC twin-bill at noon.
-Release Courtesy of Anna Maria Sports Information-
