Softball Opens Conference Schedule at Suffolk

BOSTON, Mass. – The Wentworth Institute of Technology softball opened Commonwealth Coast Conference play on Saturday afternoon with a pair of games at Suffolk. The host Rams were victorious, 11-2 (six innings) in the first game and 7-0 in the nightcap.

GAME ONE:  Suffolk 11, Wentworth 2 (six innings)

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Wentworth Batting Leaders:  Kayla DeMedeiros (2-for-3), Briana Beverly (1-for 3, 1RBI); Brionna Myers (1-for-3, 1 RBI)
Wentworth Pitching Leaders:  DeMedeiros ((L, 0-2), 5.2 IP, 5K)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Neither team came across the plate through the first three innings before Wentworth broke the ice in the top of the fourth. Sophomore Julia Bollentin (Billerica, Mass.) led off with a walk and with one out, senior Kayla DeMedeiros (South Dartmouth, Mass.) moved her to second with a single. After a strikeout, senior Brionna Myers (Seabrook, N.H.) singled Bollentin in.
• An inning later, sophomore Kaitlin Pettenger (Budd Lake, N.J.) singled and stole second. A one-out single from junior Briana Beverly (Pawcatuck, Conn.) brought in Pettenger to give the Leopards a 2-0 lead.
• Suffolk countered in the bottom of the inning with four runs. Sophomore Ally Cifaratta (Cicero, N.Y.) had an RBI double and senior Ashley Zulla (Columbus, N.J.) drove in a run with a fielder's choice while two other runs scored by way of Wentworth errors.
• The Rams scored seven times in the bottom of the sixth with Cifaratta drawing a bases load hit by pitch, Zulla hitting a grand slam, and senior Hailey Cockroft (Windham, N.H.) had a two-run single.
• DeMedeiros took the loss (0-2) as she struck out five in 5.2 innings of work. At the plate she was 2-for-3, while five other players each recorded a hit, including Beverly and Myers who each drove in a run.

GAME TWO:  Suffolk 7, Wentworth 0

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Wentworth Batting Leaders:  Kayla DeMedeiros (2-for-3)
Wentworth Pitching Leaders:  Kayla DeMedeiros (6 relief innings, 1R, 7H)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Suffolk scored six times in the first inning s as Cifaratta had a two-run single and Zulla and sophomore Leina Belog (Beaverton, Ore.) each delivered two-run home runs. The Rams tacked on a run in the bottom of the second when Cifaratta drive in a run with a ground out.
• Wentworth had runners on base in six of the seven innings, including having runners on second and third in the top of the fifth inning when sophomore Erin Hancock (Holden, Mass.) hit a one-out single and went to third when Pettenger hit a double. However, both runners would be stranded there to end the inning.
• Hancock took the loss (0-2) as she faced six batters in the first inning before giving way to DeMedeiros who allowed one run on seven hits in six innings of work. DeMedeiros was 2-for-3 at the plate while Pettenger, Hancock, and junior Sabrina Haarstick (Bellingham, Mass.) each had hits.

ALL-TIME SERIES:

• Today marked the 12th and 13th meetings between the two teams, however, the first since 2003. Suffolk holds a 12-1 series advantage, including winning the last nine meetings.

NEXT UP:

• Wentworth is at Western New England on Wednesday, March 31.

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