CLERMONT, Fla. – The Becker Softball team opened their season at 0-2 this Saturday morning in Clermont, Florida at Hancock Park falling 13-3 to Salve Regina University in their 9:00 a.m. opener, before a 9-0 loss to Trine University (Nationally Ranked at No. 6).
In game one of the day, the Hawks and Seahawks each scored a run in the first. With no outs in the first, senior Megan Bolduc (Dover, N.H.) had an RBI single to right field to give the Hawks an early 1-0 lead over the Seahawks. Salve Regina's sophomore shortstop, Nikki Bukovsky (Westport, Conn.) had a lead-off triple, and later scored off of a sac fly by Melissa Figueiredo (East Bridgewater, Mass.) to put the Seahawks on the board in the bottom of the first. Going into the second, sophomore first baseman, Ashley Ciepiela (Adams, Mass.) started off the inning for the Hawks with a single, followed by another single for junior center-fielder, Jessica Wheelahan (Watertown, Conn.) who got on base two times in game one of the day. Senior Captain, Jessica Brochu (Hardwick, Vt.) singled to right field to drive in two more runs in the top of the second inning. Salve Regina answered in the bottom of the second by scoring two runs off two hits off a Lauren Fountain (Cheshire, Conn.) double and Lexi Soucie (North Easton, Mass.) home run.
The Seahawks posted two more runs in the third inning, but capped their lead in the bottom of the fourth scoring eight. Salve Regina's Nikki Bukovsky (Westport, Conn.) helped lead the Seahawks as she was walked first, then doubled to right during her second at-bat of the inning. She would finish the game with two hits, two RBI and one walk. Freshman Francesca Galeazzi (Lynn, Mass.) and Junior Genevieve Benoit (Swampscott, Mass.) each would contribute to the eight-run fourth inning, with two RBI and one RBI, respectively. Sophomore Lauren Fountain (Cheshire, Conn.) would add to the Seahawks' nine hits with her two-run homerun as well, in the fourth.
Salve Regina sophomore pitcher Kelsey Boarman (Nouth Dighton, Mass.) allowed only three earned runs in five innings while striking out five Becker Hawks. Her offensive help would include a stolen base from Galeazzi (Lynn, Mass.) and a pair of doubles from sophomore third baseman Kara O'Riley (Acton, Mass.) who went two-for-three in game one, and Freshman Kristen Hickey (New Hyde Park, N.Y.) who would finish the game two-for-two. Becker's freshman pitcher, Sam Lee (Prospect, Conn.) pitched four innings for the Hawks, with two strike-outs in her first game in a Becker Blue uniform.
Despite the loss, a noteworthy feat for Becker junior Jessica Wheelahan (Watertown, Conn.) came when she earned her 100th hit against the Seahawks this morning. Wheelahan is the fastest player in program history to reach the 100-hit milestone. The Hawks center-fielder finished two-for-two in game one.
Facing Trine University Thunder, the Hawks were behind early as they drove in two runs and had three hits in the top of the first. The Hawks could only muster two hits against the Thunder, coming off the bat of senior Megan Bolduc (Dover, N.H.) in the bottom of the first. Trine Thunder defeated the Hawks with a final score of 9-0.
