Softball Falls Twice to Curry

BOSTON, Mass. – A pair of solid pitching performances by junior Jen Lundstrom (Rehoboth, Mass.) and sophomore Taylor Ahern (Salem, Mass.) helped the Curry College softball team to a doubleheader sweep over Wentworth Institute of Technology in Commonwealth Coast Conference action Wednesday afternoon. The Colonels took the first game, 13-0, in six innings, and won the second game, 9-1, in five innings.

Lundstrom pitched a two-hit shutout in the opener, striking out 12 Leopards while Ahern allowed one run on one hit and struck out nine in the nightcap.

Game one saw the Colonels get the only run they would need in the top of the first when sophomore Ariel LaRosa (Saugus, Mass.), who had reached on a fielder's choice, scored on a wild pitch. Curry added two runs in the third to take a 3-0 lead when LaRosa had an RBI double and junior Kaitlyn Maderios (East Bridgewater, Mass.) had an RBI groundout.

Curry scored single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to take a 5-0 lead as sophomore Abby Macomber (Milton, Mass.) scored on a wild pitch in the fourth and Maderios scored when the Leopards threw out a baserunner trying to steal second.

An eight-run sixth inning blew the game open for the Colonels, who took advantage of three Leopard errors. LaRosa had a two-run single, Maderios had an RBI on a groundout, junior Heather Carrier (Scarborough, Maine) had an RBI single, while junior Paige Smigel (Lisbon, Conn.) had a two-run single of her own.

Juniors Megan Flaherty (Medway, Mass.) and Taryn Vigeant (Terryville, Conn.) each had three hits, while LaRosa, Maderios, and Macomber each had two runs. LaRosa drove in three runs, Maderios two, and Smigel two.

Freshman Kate Lee (Spruce Head, Maine) took the loss, allowing 13 runs (eight earned) on 14 hits, walking three, and striking out two. Freshman Erin McKinnon (Berlin, Conn.) had both of the Leopards' hits.

Lundstrom struck out the side in the first, third, and fourth innings and only allowed two runners pas second base.

Flaherty led off the nightcap with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of freshman Amy Nolan (Norfolk, Mass.) to give the Colonels a 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the inning sophomore Devinn Doherty (Bridgewater, Mass.) tripled and scored on a wild pitch to even the score at 1-all.

The game remained tied until the fourth inning when Curry scored five times, as Carrier had a two-run double, LaRosa scored on an error, sophomore Allie Carver (Marlborough, Mass.) drew a bases-loaded walk, and Smigel had an RBI groundout.

Curry tacked on three in the fifth as Carney had an RBI single, Maderios scored on an error, and Smigel delivered a sacrifice fly.

After allowing the run to score in the first, Ahern struck out seven of the next eight batters she faced and yielded just two baserunners – both by walk. The Colonels were held to three hits, but drew eight walks. Carrier and Smigel drove in two runs apiece.

Sophomore Anna Wahlstrom (Quincy, Mass.) took the loss, allowing eight runs (seven earned) on two hits in four-plus innings. Lee pitched an inning, allowing one run on one hit.

Winners of three straight, Curry (11-7, 4-2 CCC) is at the University of New England on Saturday. Wentworth falls to 4-13 (0-6) and is at Nichols on Saturday.