SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Seniors Sarah Lempicki (Plantsville, CT) and Alyssa Obin (Plymouth, MA) each tossed one-hitters as the Western New England softball team opened its Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) campaign with a pair of wins (6-0 and 13-0 in five innings) over Wentworth Sunday (Apr. 1).
The Golden Bears ran their winning streak to four games and evened their record at 7-7. The Leopards fell to 8-11 in overall and 1-5 in CCC action.
In the opening game, Lempicki struck out eight and didn't walk a batter in raising her record to 3-1. She also contributed a two-run single to help give the Golden Bears a 3-0 lead in the third inning. Sophomore third baseman Katie Eckert (Lee, MA) belted a three-run homer (the first of her career) in the sixth. Sophomore center fielder Maria Francese (Hinsdale, MA) singled twice and scored a run.
Wentworth's only hit came in the fourth when freshman center fielder Isabella Grassetti (Monson, MA) singled to lead-off the inning. The Leopards also had runners on first and second in the fifth, but couldn't score.
Game two saw Obin fan three and not walk a hitter as she improved her record to 4-2. Senior first baseman Sara Barnes (Berkley, MA) had two singles, a double, and three runs scored. Eckert contributed a single, double, run scored, and four RBI. Francese doubled, had a three-run triple in a nine-run third inning, and scored twice. Lempicki, who was the designated player, had a single, double, two runs, and a RBI.
Wentworth freshman shortstop Sam Curran (Quincy, MA) singled to lead-off the second. The Leopards committed six errors that led to eight unearned runs.
(Release Courtesy of Western New England Sports Information)
