Softball Absorbs Two Close Losses at CCC Rival Endicott
April 2, 2015
BEVERLY, Mass. – The Endicott softball team hosted Curry on Thursday evening for a Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) double header matchup. In game one the Gulls held on for a 5-3 victory, highlighted by a two-run homerun from junior Sam DiBella (Danvers, Mass.). In game two sophomore Leigh Wyman (South Freeport, Maine) hurled a complete game in the 3-0 shutout victory. Endicott improves to 7-7 (4-0 CCC) while the Colonels fall to 5-7 (2-2 CCC).
Endicott will take the field next tomorrow, April 3rd as they travel to CCC foe Roger Williams for a doubleheader starting at 2:00 p.m. Curry will see action next on Tuesday, April 7th as they travel to UMass Boston for a doubleheader starting at 3:00 p.m.
Game One: Endicott 5, Curry 3
Game one was a battle as the Gulls just edged the Colonels 5-3 led behind a complete game by junior Courtney Blake (East Islip, N.Y.) who improved to 5-2 on the season in the circle. Behind the two-run homer by DiBella, sophomores Chrissy Gikas (Danvers, Mass.) and Julia McNeill (Hauppage, N.Y.) also tallied an RBI in the triumph.
Endicott started the scoring early in the bottom of the first taking a 3-0 lead. To start off the tallies McNeill blasted a ground-rule double to right field to send teammate, freshman Danielle Stratton (Agawam, Mass.) home from second. DiBella would step up to the plate next and crush her third homerun of the season for two RBI's to close out the inning.
The Gulls would add another tally on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth as Gikas singled to first base with junior Emily Hoffman (Malden, Mass.) third who was able to advance home for the 4-0 lead. In the following inning Endicott would make it a 5-0 score after McNeill crossed home plate off an error by the Colonels infield.
Curry would work to creep back up on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth adding two runs in their column. Freshman Kevi Oatway (East Hartford, Conn.) would ground out to sophomore Hannah Graney (Acton, Mass.) allowing freshman Mikayla Lambert (Blackstone, Mass.) to head home. With a runner on third senior Allie Carver (Marlborough, Mass.) would follow as she hit a single to send sophomore Marissa Bruno (Milford, Conn.) home for the 5-2 score.
Lambert would give the Colonels one more run in the top of the seventh but it would not be enough as Blake closed out the game to secure the victory.
Game Two: Endicott 3, Curry 0
Game two was a pitching battle as Wyman allowed just one hit in her complete game. The sophomore pitcher notched two strikeouts while throwing 80 total strikes on 118 pitches. With the victory Wyman improves to 2-1 on the season with her first shutout victory. Her counterpart, Lambert also threw a complete game earning five strikeouts on 29 batters faced in the tough loss.
Offensively the Gulls were led by freshman Margaret Martzolf (Port Saint Lucie, Fla.) who totaled two RBI's in the victory. Both sides were scoreless until the fifth inning when Endicott totaled all three of their runs. To start off Graney would single up the middle with runners on second and first to send junior Jamie Corda (Higganum, Conn.) around the bases. At the next at bat, Martzolf would also single up the middle allowing Graney and pinch runner, freshman Kayla Sheldon (Burlingotn, Mass.) to head home for the 3-0 lead.
Wyman would close out the game with sheer focus as she worked her way out of both the sixth and seventh inning with bases loaded. The sophomore hurled three 1-2-3 innings in a total of seven for the 3-0 triumph. (Recap courtesy of Endicott Sports Information)