April 21, 2012
Hawks Drop Two to Blazers in Softball
Leicester, Mass. --- Courtney Hampton (Westfield, Mass.) pitched two dominating performances for Elms to lead her to team to wins of 5-0 and 8-2 in NECC softball action on Saturday at Russell Field. The Blazers of Elms are now 12-15 with an 8-6 record in the NECC standings while the hosting Hawks of Becker fall to 10-23 with a 7-6 conference mark.
In the first game, Hampton (8-7) allowed only four hits and no walks in seven innings while striking out four. Colleen Flaherty (Stoughton, Mass.) did the most damage at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two doubles and two runs scored. Sarah Buckley (Wilbraham, Mass.), Caitlee Carrier (Charlestown, Mass.) and Leah Spring (South Hadley, Mass.) each had an RBI, with Buckley and Carrier both crossing home plate for runs. Hayley Zisk (Baldwinville, Mass.) went 2-for-2 with two walks. Ally Witaszek (Agawam, Mass.) finished 2-for-4.
Pitching for the Hawks, Megan Cordon (Watertown, Conn.) (5-11) struck out six Blazers in seven innings while surrendering three earned runs. Cordon, Shawna Drown (Watertown, Tenn.), Kaitlyn Kenney (Woodstock, Conn.) and Whitney Buck (Old Town, Maine) accounted for Becker's four hits.
Game two saw Elms jump out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first only to watch Becker take advantage of a pair of miscues by the Blazers to tie the game in bottom of the second, with Kenney stealing home and Lauren Lavalle (Millbury, Mass.) scoring from third on a passed ball. But Elms would add six more runs including four in the top of the fourth to take a commanding lead. Hampton allowed only four hits and no earned runs in once again going the distance. Flaherty again proved a tough out for Becker, as she went 3-for-4 with an RBI and three runs. Buckley was 2-for-4 with two RBI and a double. Jennifer Killion (Cambridge, Mass.) had two hits and two runs with an RBI, while Spring knocked in a run on her only hit of the day.
Becker's Melissa Rhodes (Mendon, Mass.) (2-9) pitched five innings and gave up just one earned run before Cordon came in in relief, striking out three Blazers in two innings. Rhodes, Kenney, Cordon and Drown each finished with a hit. Errors proved fatal to the Hawks, as the hosts gave up six unearned runs.
The Hawks return to the field on Sunday, April 22nd when they play host to Lesley in a conference double-header beginning at 1:00pm. The Blazers will play a pair of games at Bay Path, also on Sunday.
