HENNIKER N.H. – The Hawks and Pilgrims split a Saturday doubleheader in New England Collegiate Conference play as the postseason looms in the final weekend of the regular season.
THE BASICS
May 1, 2021
Old Concord Road Field
Becker Hawks 10-14 (6-10 NECC)
New England Pilgrims 14-6 (10-6 NECC)
GAME ONE: Becker 6 – New England 3
The Hawks used a seventh inning offensive surge, scoring four runs in the final inning to comeback and win game one over the Pilgrims.
The Hawks entered the seventh trailing 3-2 but a series of three consecutive doubles would put the Hawks out in front 4-3.
Senior Elizabeth Simonian (Auburn, Mass.) doubled to left field, setting up the tying run. Junior Ashley Veillette (Danielson, N.H.) was next to hit a double, scoring Simonian and tying the game 3-3. Senior Sarah Ellis (Berkley, Mass.) doubled to left field, scoring Veillette and giving the Hawks a 4-3 lead.
Later in the inning, the Hawks added insurance on a two-run double to the left-center field gap by sophomore Holly Letourneau (Woonsocket, R.I.), giving Becker a 6-3 lead.
The Pilgrims led 3-1 early in the game thanks to a run scoring passed ball and RBI singles by junior Cameron LeClaire (Clinton, Conn.) and graduate student Chanel Welsh (Seabrook, N.H.).
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For Becker, Ellis batted 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI, and a run scored. Veillette and Simonian were both 2-for-4. The Hawks as a team had six doubles in 11 total hits in the game one win.
For NEC, Welsh was 2-for-3 with two singles and an RBI. Sophomore Emily Gagne (Portsmouth, N.H.) went 2-for-4, both singles.
Winning Pitcher: Lindsay Mitchell (4-5)
Losing Pitcher: Taylor Barbour (6-3)
GAME TWO: New England 4 – Becker 1
Runs in the bottom of the third and bottom of the fourth were all the Pilgrims required in game two, as the 4-1 win gets them a split of Saturday's doubleheader.
The Pilgrims started the scoring with a sacrifice bunt that scored a runner from third to take a 1-0 lead. Senior Destiny Helmedach (Middlefield, Conn.) doubled the lead with an RBI single, giving NEC a 2-0 lead after three innings.
The Pilgrims doubled the lead in the fourth on a sacrifice fly to center field, followed by an RBI single by Gagne to take a 4-0 lead.
The shutout was broken up in the top of the sixth on the sixth home run of the season by Letourneau, a solo shot to left-center field, as the Hawks trailed 4-1.
Becker had the tying run at the plate with two outs in the top of the seventh, but an infield pop out ended the game as NEC took game two.
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For NEC, Gagne and Helmedach both finished 2-for-3 with an RBI. Senior Rachel Senechal (Killingworth, Conn.) was 2-for-2 with a double.
For Becker, Letourneau finished 2-for-3 with the solo home run, matching the most on the team with six this season.
Winning Pitcher: Emily Farone (6-3)
Losing Pitcher: Ashley Veillette (5-7)
