Softball Swept in Conference-Opening Twinbill
Gordon wins both contests in its final at bat, taking the first game, 2-1, and the nightcap, 4-3; Kelly Budzik records two hits and scores three runs
WENHAM, Mass. – The Gordon College softball team used a pair of walk-off wins to sweep Wentworth in the Commonwealth Coast Conference openers for both squads. The Fighting Scots rallied for a 2-1 win in the opener before taking a 4-3 triumph in the nightcap.
In a game one pitching duel between Gordon's Claire Bennett (Sr./Mumford, N.Y.) and Wentworth's Sam Burgner (Fr./Dalton, Mass.), neither team was able to break the score barrier through the first five innings of play. Then, in the top of the sixth, the Leopards' Liz Glavin (Fr./Ipswich, Mass.) singled to drive in Kelly Budzik (So./Fort Plain, N.Y.) from second to give Wentworth the late 1-0 lead. With both teams silent at the plate in their next two at bats, the Scots were left to make their comeback effort in the bottom of the final frame. Kara Pepper (Fr./Wyckoff, N.J.) doubled to drive in Bennett after which Rachel Ryder (Fr./Telford, Pa.) ripped the game-winning run on an RBI single to lift the Scots to the 2-1 victory.
Looking to avenge the game one loss, the Leopards led off with a single run on a Sam Curran (Fr./Quincy, Mass.) RBI for the early 1-0 lead. That lead held until the bottom of the second when Pepper singled to plate Liz Cheesman (Sr./Winslow, Maine) and Shannon Dodds (So./Audubon, Pa.) later stole home to overtake the lead by one. Wentworth answered right back in the top of the next frame, however, as Curran had an RBI double and later came home on a passed ball to make it a 3-2 ballgame. In the bottom of that same inning, the Scots' Cheesman RBI singled to left center to drive in Kendall Bukuras (So./North Falmouth, Mass.) from second for the game-tying score.
After the bats for both teams went silent for the next three and half innings, the Scots displayed late heroics once again in the bottom of the seventh, as Kerry McPartlan (Sr./Yonkers, N.Y.) drilled an RBI double to center to drive in Bri Roberts (Fr./Center Conway, N.H.) from first for the game-winner.
Earning the game one win for the Scots was Bennett, who pitched seven innings with just three hits and one run to go with eight strikeouts. Pitcher Skylar Bareford (So./Stonington, Conn.) picked up her first win of the season in game two, allowing four hits and three runs with three strikeouts in a full seven innings of work. Wentworth's Burgner gets tabbed with both losses on the day.
Leading the way at the plate for Gordon was Pepper with three hits and two RBI, while Cheesman posted four hits and one RBI, and Bukuras, Bennett, and Emily Borden (Sr./Groton, Conn.) each recorded three hits on the day. Additionally, Ryder and McPartlan chipped in an RBI apiece. For the Leopards, Budzik rapped a pair of hits and scored three runs in the two games, while Curran drove in two runs. Despite taking both losses in the circle, Burgner struck out 11 batters in 7.2 innings of work.
The Scots return to play on Monday, March 26 as they host non-conference Maine-Farmington in a doubleheader at 3:00 p.m. Wentworth, now 5-8 overall on the season, has a quick turnaround as they host CCC foe Roger Williams tomorrow at Noon.
(Portions of this Release Courtesy of Gordon Sports Information)