Softball Wraps Up 2016 Campaign

BEVERLY, Mass. - An 11-run first inning in game two sealed the 13-0 victory for Endicott and completed the Commonwealth Coast Conference sweep against the Wentworth Institute of Technology softball team on Sunday afternoon. The Leopards dropped game one, 8-0.

With the wins, Endicott improves to 19-14 (12-4), while Wentworth finishes the 2016 campaign with a 4-25 (0-18) record.

Game One: Endicott 6, Wentworth 0
In Endicott's half of the first, sophomore Casie Beauchemin (Lincoln, R.I.) batted an infield bunt single to third and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. With two outs, junior Julia McNeill (Smithtown, N.Y.) brought in the game's first run on a single into left field and gave Endicott a 1-0 lead.

The Gulls almost capitalized on two defensive miscues by Wentworth and loaded the bases with two outs, but a ground out ended the inning and the score remained 1-0 after two.

Wentworth had a chance to get on the board with a pair of two-out singles from sophomore Rachel Willcutt (Tilton, N.H.) and sophomore Megan Berryman (Middleboro, Mass.) in the top of the third, but Berryman was tagged out on a fielder's choice and Endicott held the 1-0 lead.

With runners on first and second, Endicott tacked on its second run on senior Jamie Corda's (Higganum, Conn.) sacrifice fly out to left field and gained the 2-0 edge at the end of the third frame.

It was in the home half of the fifth that the Gulls stretched its lead and tacked on four additional runs of five hits. Senior Emily Hoffman (Malden, Mass.) sent a triple into right center and scored on McNeill's RBI single that snuck through the left side. With freshman Hayley Arduini (Southington, Conn.) and McNeill on third with two outs, sophomore Danielle Stratton (Agawam, Mass.) brought in McNeill on an infield single to the pitcher. In the following at-bat, senior Samantha DiBella (Danvers, Mass.) doubled into left to bring in Arduini for the fourth Endicott run to give the Gulls a 6-0 cushion.

The Leopards found themselves with another scoring opportunity in the top of the seventh as freshman Emily Winter (Stratford, Conn.) singled into left and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Wentworth could not plate Winter as a strikeout and ground out to second sealed the 6-0 Endicott victory.

Senior Courtney Blake (East Islip, N.Y.) nabbed the win for the Gulls and allowed just six hits with one walk and six strikeouts through seven frames. McNeill and DiBella paced Endicott and went for a combined 3-for-7 with a double, two runs scored and four RBI, while Hoffman went 1-for-3 with a triple and one run scored and Stratton went 2-for-3 with one run scored and one RBI.

Freshman Erica Norquist (Rutland, Mass.) took the loss and allowed six runs on 11 hits with one strikeout and one walk through seven innings. Weymouth, Berryman, senior Heather Pinkston (Concord, Calif.), freshman Libby White (Pittsfield, Mass.) and Willcutt all registered hits for Wentworth.

Game Two: Endicott 13, Wentworth 0
Endicott put the second game away in the first inning thanks to the Gulls' bats pounding out 11 runs to take a commanding 11-0 lead.

Junior Chrissy Gikas (Danvers, Mass.) batted a single up the middle and stole second to begin the inning off for Endicott. A double from Hoffman and single from McNeill brought in the first two Gulls' runs. After two straight singles from Corda and Arduini helped load up the bases with no outs, sophomore Margaret Martzolf (Port Saint Lucie, Fla.) sent a ground ball to the shortstop that was followed up by DiBella's double into left field to lift Endicott to the 5-0 advantage.

With the bases still loaded, DiBella crossed home with the sixth Gulls run on a wild pitch. Endicott drew two straight walks that brought in the seventh run and McNeill rocketed a three-run double into left field that brought the score to 10-0. Martzoff walked in the 11th Gulls run as the inning concluded on fielder's choice at third.

In the home half of the third, the Gulls added an additional two runs to give themselves the 13-0 cushion. Freshman KK Palmerino (Glenmont, N.Y.) began the inning off with a single into left and advanced to third on a fielding error by the second baseman that loaded up the bases. Palmerino plated the Gulls' 12th run on a walk to Blake with freshman Jamie Hopgood (Warwick, R.I.) plating the 13th and final run of the game on a ground ball to the shortstop.

Wentworth had a scoring opportunity in the top of the fifth as White singled up the middle to begin the inning and advanced to second on a ground ball to third, but was stranded as a pop up to the shortstop sealed the 13-0 game two win for the Gulls.

Freshman Laura Somerville (Suffield, Conn.) got the win in game two for Endicott as she pitched five solid innings and allowed just two hits with one walk and five strikeouts. McNeill powered Endicott and went 2-for-2 with a double, plated two runs and had four RBI, while DiBella went 1-for-2 with a double, one run scored and two RBI, Martzoff drove in two RBI and Hoffman went 1-for-1 with a double, two runs scored and two RBI.

Norquist took the game two loss for Wentworth as she allowed six runs on six hits through 2.2 innings with freshman Hayley Rutkey (Burnt Hills, N.Y.) pitched 1.1 relief innings and allowed seven runs (five earned) on four hits and had eight walks. Gorski and White each tallied singles for Wentworth.