Endicott Drops to Wheaton in Ten Innings
Story Courtesy of Scott Dietz, Sports Information Director, Wheaton College
NORTON, MA- Senior Jackie Demling (Norwood, MA/Norwood) twirled a five-hit shutout with eight strikeouts and classmate Carmella Ranieri (Framingham, MA/Framingham) posted a walk-off single in the bottom half of the 10th inning, as the number-one seed Wheaton College softball team edged fourth-seeded Endicott College, 1-0 in game three of the NCAA Division III New England Regional Tournament at Clark Field.
Wheaton advances to the winner's bracket championship game tomorrow morning at 11:00 a.m., where they will play Western Connecticut State University. Western defeated Williams College, 1-0 earlier this afternoon.
Wheaton and Endicott battled through nine-and-a-half scoreless innings of play, but the Lyons provided the game winner thanks in part to junior Jessica Foster (Sidney, ME/Messalonskee), who opened the frame with a single to center, advanced to second on a steal and then proceeded to moved to third on her second swiped base of the frame. With two outs and Foster on third, Ranieri ripped a single to center to give the Lyons the 1-0 victory.
Neither team had any serious scoring threats until the fourth, when the Gulls placed runners on first and third with two outs. Freshman Ashley Labella (Saugus, MA/Saugus) singled to center, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and eventually reached third on an Elyse Colby (Manchester, NH/Memorial) single through the left side. Demling however stymied the Endicott attack by inducing a groundout to first.
In the bottom of the fourth, Wheaton had a great opportunity to push a run across but Endicott's Jennilee Danielson's (Salisbury, MA/Triton Regional) throw from center was on target in cutting down junior Courtney Prior (Holliston, MA/Holliston) at the plate to end the inning. In the sixth, Endicott placed runners on the corners with only one out, but the Lyons posted a huge double play from third base to the plate and back to third to get out of the inning unscathed.
Endicott left two runners stranded in the eighth, but posed no serious threats the rest of the way, as Demling retired her final six batters in order to collect her 22nd win of the season. Demling issued one walk, while Endicott's Robyn Savitske (Hellertown, PA/Saucon Valley) scattered nine hits with five strikeouts and no walks. Offensively, Ranieri and senior Brianna Shawah (Pompton Plains, NJ/Pequannock Township) posted two hits apiece, while Endicott's Labella also had two hits.
Endicott faces the Williams-Bridgewater State College winner at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday.