Verreault Walks Off to Opening Conference Victory; Softball Splits with Gordon

BOSTON, Mass. – Freshman Katie Verreault (Scarborough, Maine) helped the Wentworth softball team to a 1-1 split over Gordon College, walking off against the Fighting Scots in game one on Wednesday evening at Sweeney Field. The Leopards downed Gordon 8-7 in the first game, and fell to the Fighting Scots by an 18-4 score in the nightcap. Both teams move to 1-1 in league play after the Commonwealth Coast Conference opener.

Game One – Wentworth 8, Gordon 7

The Leopards scattered 10 hits in the opening contest, and got their offense going early as freshman Alexandra Pina (Cumberland, R.I.) led off with a single through the right side, and scored on a double steal with Verreault. Verreault crossed home after an RBI groundout from Kayla DeMedeiros (South Dartmouth, Mass.), as the home team led 2-0 after a half inning.

Gordon got two back in the third inning, as Lily Rivera (Concord, N.H.) and Kristen Brown (Granite Springs, N.Y.) drove in a pair of runs, but a bases-loaded passed ball advanced junior Deanna DiPilato (Worcester, Mass.) home in the next inning to keep WIT ahead, 3-2.

Wentworth kept the bats swinging with five runs across the next three innings, leading 6-2 as Gordon stepped up in their final at-bats. In a six-hit, five-run inning, the Fighting Scots ignited a fierce comeback, quickly loading runners on first and second on base-hits from Arianna Ramsaran (Johnson City, Tenn.) and Caitlin Catalanotto (Kingston, N.H.). Brown cracked a deep single that scored two runners to trail by one, before Laura Bieren (Gorton, Mass.) doubled to knot the score 6-6. With zero outs down, Emma Dubois (Barrington, N.H.) pinch hit and did her job at the plate, scoring Bieren for the go-ahead run, 7-6. Verreault came in to pitch for the final three outs, all of which came in order, as the Leopards switched to offense in the bottom of the seventh.

Catalanotto retired Wentworth's first two batters, as things looked bleak for the Leopards, but Rehders wouldn't crack under the pressure and reached first base on a single down the left field line. Pina then worked a walk, putting Rehders in scoring position for Verreault, who then smashed a two-RBI double for the thrilling walk-off 8-7 win.

Verreault earned the win in the circle with a strikeout in one inning of relief, and took over for DeMedeiros who struck out five with seven earned runs to start. Catalanotto suffered the loss with six K's, six earned runs, and four walks.

Game Two – Gordon 18, Wentworth 4

Gordon registered 19 hits in the nightcap while five players hit for extra bases, including a two-run homer from Karissa Hatchell (Eaton, Colo.) in the third inning for a 4-2 lead. In the top of the fifth, Megan Jenkerson (McDonough, Ga.) tripled to center field, which plated three Fighting Scots for a 10-2 lead. The Leopards got two back on base-hit RBI's from DiPilato and freshman Brianna Beverly (Pawcatuck, Conn.) to squander Gordon's run-rule victory for the time being, but the visitors piled on seven hits for seven runs in the sixth for the shortened contest.

Freshman Aurora Wilks (Fruitport, Mich.) suffered the loss on the hill with four earned runs, while Verreault and DeMedeiros each took over for relief in the effort.

Jasmine Mullally (Waterford, N.Y.) struck out eight batters and allowed four earned runs to cross in her fourth win of the season for Gordon.

Wentworth resumes conference action on Saturday with a twinbill at Nichols.

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