BOSTON, Mass. - Sophomore Haley Ledbetter (Westerly, R.I.) and freshman Sarah Doe (East Berkshire, Vt.) each hit home runs to launch the Roger Williams University softball team to a 15-3 game two win to earn the sweep over Wentworth Institute of Technology on Wednesday afternoon. In a game one pitcher's duel, the Leopards fell 2-0.
With the wins, Roger Williams improves to 13-13 and 7-3 in Commonwealth Coast Conference play, while Wentworth falls to 4-15 and 0-8 in league play.
Game One: Roger Williams 2, Wentworth 0
Roger Williams grabbed the first scoring opportunity in its half of the first when junior Meredith Moise (North Reading, Mass.) sent a double into left center and later advanced to third on a wild pitch with two outs. On a 3-2 count, senior Meghan Maliga (Suffield, Conn.) grounded out to the shortstop to end the inning.
In the bottom of the third frame, Wentworth threatened to get on the board as senior Heather Pinkston (Concord, Calif.) reached first on a throwing error. The Leopards, however, could not advance Pinkston as the inning concluded on a pop up.
Ledbetter began the top of the fourth with a bunt single, stole second and later advanced to third on a passed ball. With two outs, the Hawks stranded Ledbetter at third on a pop up to the first baseman. Roger Williams nearly put itself on the board the following inning, but could not capitalize and the score remained 0-0.
With five scoreless innings in the books, Roger Williams finally got a run on the board in the top of the sixth inning. Senior Taylor Messier (Cranston, R.I.) crossed home with the first Hawks' run on Ledbetter's ground ball to the second baseman. In the seventh, Roger Williams gained the 2-0 on thanks to freshman Micaela Pohl's (Middleboro, Mass.) RBI single to center field.
The Leopards put a runner on in the bottom of the seven as sophomore Rachel Willcutt (Tilton, N.H.) drew a two out walk, but was stranded at first as a strike out sealed the Hawks' 2-0 victory.
Maliga (7-7) tossed seven scoreless innings and allowed one walk and struck out nine in the win. Junior Julianne Vesce (Mahwah, N.J.) led the Hawks, going 2-for-3, while Ledbetter went 1-for-3 with one RBI, Messier went 1-for-4 with one run scored and Pohl went 1-for-1 with one RBI.
Freshman Hayley Rutkey (Burnt Hills, N.Y.) was tagged with the loss and pitched seven innings and allowed two runs (one earned) on seven hits. Senior Karsyn Sawyer (Chatham, N.Y.) and Willcutt went for a combined 2-for-5 with two singles.
Game Two: Roger Williams 15, Wentworth 3 (5 innings)
Roger Williams exploded with a six-run first inning that propelled the Hawks to a 6-0 cushion over Wentworth. The Hawks scored its first run on Moise's double into left field that was followed up by a two-run home run from Ledbetter into left center that put the score at 3-0. With two outs and a full count, Doe launched a three-run home run, the Hawks' second of the inning, and pushed the lead to 6-0 at the end of one.
Sophomore Megan Berryman (Middleboro, Mass.) plated Wentworth's first run on a wild pitch to cut the lead to 6-1 in its half of the first. Sawyer batted an infield single to second and advanced Willcutt to second, but the Leopards were retired to end the inning.
In the top of the second, the Hawks capitalized on defensive miscues by the Leopards and tacked one more run to extend its lead to 7-1. After Pohl reached on a fielding error, senior Veronica Alicea's (Trumbull, Conn.) ground ball to second plated the seventh Roger Williams run.
The Hawks did more offensive damage in the third frame and added an additional six runs onto its already commanding lead. Two back-to-back singles and a wild pitch allowed the eighth run to score, followed up by Ledbetter's three-run triple to right center to extend the lead to 11-1. Junior Sigita Ivaska's (Gibsonia, Pa.) RBI single up the middle wrapped up the inning and gave the Hawks a 13-1 lead after three.
Through the third and fourth frames, both Wentworth and Roger Williams crossed the plate at least once.
Berryman and Pinkston batted back-to-back singles to get the Leopards' offense going in the bottom of the third. On Sawyer's single into center field, Pinkston crossed home for Wentworth's second run. The Leopards had the bases loaded with one out and an opportunity to put more runs on the board, yet a double play closed out the inning.
Moise plated the 14th Roger Williams' run on a wild pitch in the top of the fourth with Wentworth answering with a run of its own in the bottom of the fourth on an error to put the score at 14-3. On ground out to the first baseman, Messier batted in the 15th run for the Hawks in the top of the fifth. Wentworth had a chance to tack on some more runs in its half of the fifth thanks to hits from Willcutt and Rutkey, but a line out to second sealed the 15-3 Roger Williams win.
Freshman Hailey Prechtel (Glenmont, N.Y.) pitched 2.1 innings and allowed two runs on four hits, as sophomore Mary Adametz (Higganum, Conn.) earned the relief victory for the Hawks as she tossed 2.2 innings and allowed one run on three hits while she walked and struck out one batter. Moise and Ledbetter powered the Hawks' offense, going for a combined 6-for-8 with six runs scored and six RBI, while Doe went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and three RBI.
Freshman Erica Norquist (Rutland, Mass.) was tagged with the loss and pitched three innings and allowed 13 runs (11 earned) on 14 hits with two walks. Rutkey relieved Norquist with two innings and allowed two runs on three hits with two walks. Rutkey, Willcutt and Sawyer led the Leopards, going for a combined 6-for-8.
Both Wentworth and Roger Williams are in action on Saturday. Wentworth will face Gordon at 1:00 p.m., while Roger Williams will take on Eastern Nazarene at 12:00 p.m.
