Westfield Edges Softball in Snow-Shortened Twinbill

Box Score WESTFIELD, Mass. (Mar. 23) – Senior third baseman Alicia Gardner was 3-for-4 with two RBI to lead Westfield State University to a cold and snowy 6-5 softball victory over Nichols College on Wednesday.

The second game of the non-conference doubleheader was cancelled because of accumulating snow. Westfield improved its record to 6-4; Nichols is 4-7.

Nichols jumped out to a 3-0 second-inning lead, scoring three unearned runs on no hits, two errors, two walks and a hit batter.

With two outs Barbara Roy (Springfield, Mass.) plated the first run by drawing a bases loaded walk. Nichols then scored two more runs on an infield throwing error on a forceout attempt at second base.

The Owls scored single runs in the second and third innings. In the second, pinch runner Ashley Forgues advanced from first to third on a sacrifice bunt by Courtney Begin and scored on the play on an overthrow at third base. Westfield made the score 3-2 in the third on an RBI single by freshman shortstop Bri Eichstaedt.

The Owls scored three runs on three hits and two errors in the bottom of the fourth to take a 5-3 lead. Kristyn Carroll clubbed a standup double down the leftfield line, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Gardner's opposite field single down the leftfield line.

Kerin DeGirolamo capped the fourth-inning uprising when she crushed an RBI triple to left-centerfield and scored on an overthrow at third base.

Westfield scored the eventual winning run in the fifth when Begin reached on an infield single, advanced to second and third on a sac hit and groundout, and scored a single by Gardner, a hard smash off the shortstop's glove.

Nichols rallied for two runs in its final at bat to make it interesting. Jenna Priore (Petersburgh, N.Y.) laced a one-out single and scored on an RBI double by Chelsea Correia(Seekonk, Mass.), who scored on a two-out RBI single by Emalee Watkins(Malden, Mass.).

Winning pitcher Madeline Tomich allowed seven hits (three in the seventh inning), two earned runs and three walks and struck out four. Lindsay Hassett (Oxford, Mass.)gave up nine hits and four walks and fanned five for Nichols.

DeGirolamo was 2 for 3 with two runs scored and a triple. Chelsea Correia was 2 for 4 with two doubles and Lauren Correia was 2 for 4.

The Bison are back in action on Saturday in a noon TCCC doubleheader against Gordon at home.

Story courtesy Westfield State

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