Thursday, April 21, 2016

Babson Softball Stays Hot With Sweep of Eastern Connecticut State

BABSON PARK, Mass.— Sophomore Ali Reilly (New Canaan, Conn.) tossed a complete-game shutout in game one, while first-years Ashley Tango (Reading, Mass.) and Annie Quine (Santa Monica, Calif.) combined to drive in seven runs in game two as Babson College swept visiting Eastern Connecticut State University in a non-conference softball doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon at Alumni Field. The Beavers scored in the bottom of the seventh to edge the Warriors, 2-1, in the opener before recording a 13-7 five-inning victory in the nightcap.

Babson, which has won nine of its last 10 games, is now 22-11 overall, while Eastern Connecticut State slips to 12-18 on the year.

The Green and White took a 1-0 lead in game one on senior Caitie Benoit's (Williamstown, Mass.)
two-out single in the bottom of the third inning. The Warriors pulled even in the top of the fifth as first-year Kayla Santos (Peabody, Mass.) led off with a single and later scored on a sacrifice fly by senior Alyssa Hancock (Waterford, Conn.).

Eastern Connecticut State junior Samantha Valentine (Ridge, N.Y.) worked out of a jam in the fifth before Quine delivered in the bottom of the seventh. First-year Josephine Mares (Houston, Texas) led off with a single up the middle and Quine followed with a shot to the gap in right center that plated Mares all the way from first, giving Babson a 2-1 win.

Reilly allowed just one unearned run on four hits while striking out four to move to 12-8 on the year. Quine went 3-for-3 at the plate with a pair of doubles, while Mares finished 3-for-4 with a run scored for the Beavers.

Valentine (5-6) struck out three while giving up 12 hits in a complete-game effort for the Warriors, who got two hits from junior Kristyn Ryan (Barkhamsted, Conn.).

Eastern Connecticut State took a brief 1-0 lead in game two on the strength of Ryan's RBI double in the top of the first before the Green and White followed with three quick runs in the bottom of the frame. Sophomore Samantha Smith (Hillsborough, N.J.) reached on an error, Mares singled to left center and both runners came home on Quine's double to the wall in left center. Tango singled up the middle one batter later to give the hosts a 3-1 advantage.

Babson extended its lead with three more runs in the second, including an RBI double from Smith, and then exploded for seven runs in the third. Sophomore Catherine Pitts (Winchester, Mass.) and Mares recorded back-to-back RBI doubles to make it 8-1, while Tango followed with a three-run blast down the left-field line for an 11-1 advantage. Benoit drilled a solo home run one batter later, and senior Maya Lacy (East Mill Creek, Utah) capped the rally with a two-out RBI single to left for a 13-1 lead.

The Warriors got three runs back in the top of the fourth behind an RBI double from Santos and a two-run double from Hancock to cut their deficit to 13-4. Valentine then doubled to start the fifth and later scored on a two-out single from Santos for the final margin.

Mares, Tango, Benoit and Lacy all finished with two hits in game two, while Quine and Mares combined to score five runs for the Beavers. Benoit also drove in a pair of runs in support of senior Madison Dinaso (Ardsley, N.Y.), who earned the victory to move to 6-1 on the year.

Santos was 3-for-3 with two RBI, while Ryan and junior Summer Cipriani (North Stonington, Conn.), who suffered the loss in the circle, both finished with two hits apiece for Eastern Connecticut State.

Babson returns to action on Friday with a doubleheader at Clark starting at 3 p.m., while the Warriors host Southern Maine in a twin bill on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.

GAME NOTES
• The Beavers evened the all-time series with Eastern Connecticut at 4-4 after its second doubleheader sweep in as many years.
• Wednesday's twin bill marked the final regular-season home games for Benoit, Dinaso, Lacy and fellow senior Rachel Bullard (Worcester, Mass.). The quartet has led the Beavers to an overall mark of 96-64 over the last few years as well as three NEWMAC Tournament appearances and an NCAA Tournament berth in 2013.
• Babson concludes its non-conference schedule with a 14-5 record, and helps them improve to 28-11 over the last two years against out-of-conference foes.

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