Milton, Mass. – The Curry College softball team was swept at home in a doubleheader with non-conference UMass Boston Thursday evening. The Colonels fall to 11-11 while the Beacons improve to 16-8.
Game One
Curry wasted no time getting on the board as junior Mikayla Korona (Bellingham, Mass.) singled with one out to get things started. Sophomore Mikayla Lambert (Blackstone, Mass.) delivered a double to bring Korona all the way in from first. After advancing on a ground out, Lambert would touch home herself and join Korona in the dugout when junior Marissa Bruno (Milford, Conn.) singled safely to right field to put the score at 2-0 after one full inning of play.
However, UMass responded quickly, stringing together four singles in their first four chances to get one of the runs back courtesy of senior Kristina Bove's (Medford, Mass.)bases loaded single. After a walk reloaded the bases, junior Kaitlyn Morse (Arlington, Mass.) delivered yet another single to tie the game at two.
It wasn't again until a one out ground out from freshman Roxanne Vento (Arlington, Mass.) that was deep enough to score junior Gia Raczkowski (Stoneham, Mass.) who earlier doubled to left field. The Beacons wouldn't retain the lead for very long as Korona delivered an RBI single to score sophomore April Adams (Burlington, Mass.) in the following half inning to retie the game at three runs apiece.
The tie would remain passed the regulation seven innings and once in extra innings, UMass got on the board right away. Vento would come around to score on a double from freshman Alexa St. Angelo (Cranston, R.I.) after she was placed on second base. Classmate Vic Zechello (Westboro, Mass.) followed with an RBI single of her own platting junior Lauren Mitsiaris (Taunton, Mass.) to put the score at 5-3 going into the bottom of the eighth.
Korona was the runner placed on second base and Lambert promptly sent her running home with a double to center to lead off the inning. However, three straight outs would end the game and the Colonels would come away empty handed in game one.
Freshman McKenna Barlow (Middletown, R.I.) got her sixth start of the season and fell to 4-2 after today's loss finishing seven innings allowing five runs, four of them earned, on 12 hits while striking out a batter. Classmate Annie Thomas (Lunenburg, Mass.) picked up her ninth win in her 9-3 record going all eight innings allowing nine hits and four runs, three of which were earned, while recording five punch outs.
Game Two
Once again, the Colonels wasted no time getting on the board with Bruno delivering a first inning double to advance both Lambert and Korona two bases, scoring the latter. Curry held the lead all the way into the fifth inning when UMass finally opened the scoring on their side.
Morse grounded out to shortstop but the runner on second, sophomore Kelsey Whiting (Sharon, Mass.) advanced on the throw to first and would score on a throwing error from first baseman sophomore Rachel Byrd (Hampstead, N.H.).
After getting out of the inning Curry quickly came right back and put up a run of their own with sophomore Morgan Haaland (Fairhaven, Mass.) coming across unearned on the error that left Lambert safe at first.
Their lead would only last the remainder of that half inning as the Beacons responded in the top of the sixth with three runs. Freshman Taylor Pawlina (Woonsocket, R.I.) came up with the bases loaded and delivered a single to score both Mitsiaris and Vento. Morse followed with another single, scoring Whiting to put the score at 4-2.
The Colonels threatened in the final inning, stringing together hits to load the bases for Bruno who delivered a two-out sacrifice fly to score Haaland who started the inning reaching on an error. With two runners on, Curry couldn't bring in another run to tie the game and 4-3 score went final.
Both pitchers went the distance for their teams with sophomore Rebecca Black (East Greenwich, Conn.) taking the loss after giving up four runs on 11 hits while racking up a trio of strikeouts. Zechello recorded the win allowing three runs, only two earned, on nine hits while striking out six Colonels.
Curry resumes play on Saturday afternoon with another twin bill at conference foe Western New England University for a noontime first pitch. UMass also plays Saturday afternoon as they will host conference opponent Rhode Island College for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.
