Softball Staves Off Elimination in CCC Tournament, Topping UNE and WNE and Hitting All-Time Milestones

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Wentworth Institute of Technology softball team not only staved off elimination Thursday afternoon in the Commonwealth Coast Conference Tournament but also etched a few names into the history books. The Leopards eliminated the University of New England with a 7-0 blanking before outlasting Western New England 7-4. Senior Kaitlin Pettenger (Budd Lake, N.J.), graduate student Briana Beverly (Pawcatuck, Conn.), and graduate student Alexandra Pina (Cumberland, R.I.) placed themselves atop the record books with their respective performances.

GAME ONE: WENTWORTH 7, UNE 0

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Leopards got to business in the third inning as, with the bases loaded, a double by graduate student Alexandra Pina (Cumberland, R.I.) not only brought home two scores for the Black & Gold but also pushed her into sole possession of the most all-time career doubles with 37. Senior Kaitlin Pettenger (Budd Lake, N.J.), who scored the first of the two runs, got on base with a milestone hit as her 136^th hit placed her with the most career hits of all-time.
• At the next at-bat, a single by freshman Kyla Igawa (Long Beach, Calif.) ran home a score by graduate student Briana Beverly (Pawcatuck, Conn.), extending the Leopards' lead to 3-0 before a single by sophomore Jess Rowe (Yardley, Pa.) brought home Pina, pushing the lead to 4-0.
• With the bases loaded later in the inning, senior Erin Hancock (Holden, Mass.) reached first on fielder's choice, bringing home another score to mark a 5-0 advantage.
• In the fifth inning, Rowe smashed a home run with a runner on base to extend the Leopards' lead to 7-0.
• Wentworth shut down UNE's chance to get any momentum as Hancock led the charge in the circle with three strikeouts in five innings of action. Offensively, Rowe (2-3, HR, 2 RBI) and Igawa (2-3, 2B, 1 RBI) led the way with two hits apiece while Pina, Pettenger, and Beverly, who is currently behind Pettenger in all-time hits, all placed themselves at the top of all-time lists.

SERIES NOTES:

• Wentworth has won four straight against the Nor'Easters.

GAME TWO: WENTWORTH 7, WNE 4

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• With the bases loaded in the third inning, Wentworth got on the board as an error by the Golden Bears brought Rowe to first and Pettenger home, giving the Leopards a 1-0 edge.
• The Black & Gold added two runs to their total as a double by senior Julia Bollentin (South Kingstown, R.I.) paired with an error brought her to third while bringing home scores by Rowe, Igawa, and Beverly, extending the Leopards' lead to 4-0.
• In the fourth inning, Pettenger blasted a home run well beyond the right field fence, bringing home two runners on base along with herself to stretch the Leopards' lead to 7-0.
• The Golden Bears threatened the score in the latter portion of the inning, getting on the board with a run off of a double by graduate student Dina DiBlasio (Norwalk, Conn.). A handful of batters later, a single by junior Madison Mason (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) with the bases loaded brought home DiBlasio, dwindling the deficit to 7-2. A deep single later by sophomore Alex Ferriouolo (North Haven, Conn.) ran home two scores to cut the deficit to 7-4. However, a diving catch by Pina in center field after two fly outs with runners on first and third ended the threat.
• Wentworth's defense stood pat to the end of the contest, only surrendering two hits to preserve a 7-4 victory, forcing the two teams to play a final best-of-three game to determine who advances to the CCC Championship Series.
• Hancock struck out two in the circle through three innings before freshman Julie Schriver (Moscow, Pa.) only gave up two hits in four innings to earn the win and keep the Leopards alive.

NEXT UP:

• The Leopards head back to Springfield tomorrow to play WNE once more at 3:00 p.m., with the winner advancing to play Endicott in the CCC Championship Series beginning Saturday.

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