Softball cruises past WNEC, into TCCC Title game

Beverly, Mass. – Top-seeded Endicott erupted for 13 runs on 14 hits, highlighted by a nine-run third inning, to cruise past \#2 Western New England, 13-2, in The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) Tournament softball action. 

 

Senior Ashley Wright (Merrimack, N.H.) went 3-for-3 with three doubles, four RBI, and two runs scored while sophomore Krista Fales (Melrose, Mass.) smashed a three-run homerun in the victory.  After allowing two runs on two hits in the top of the first senior pitcher Jenna Bortolotti (Milton, Mass.), who at one point retired ten straight batters, kept the Golden Bears hitless the rest of the way.

 

Senior Hayley Hovhanessian (Farmington, Conn.) was a perfect 2-for-2 at the dish with two runs scored and two RBI while freshman Mattie Brett (Waterford, Conn.) added a run and two RBI for the Gulls, who are one win away from their ninth straight TCCC Championship.

 

WNEC was led by junior Rachel Wyrwa (Methuen, Mass.), who went 1-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI in the setback. 

 

The Golden Bears (26-16) got to Bortolotti early with a pair of runs in the first.  Senior Trish Breault (Millville, Mass.) led off with a single up the middle before advancing to second on an infield out and scoring on Wyrwa’s single to right-center.  Wyrwa scored WNEC’s final run of the afternoon on an error before Bortolotti induced an inning-ending ground out.

 

The Gulls (34-6) responded with four runs of their own in the bottom of the first to build a 4-2 advantage.  Jocelyn Russo (Middletown, Conn.) and Jesse Bilafer (Concord, Mass.) put together back-to-back singles before a walk to the TCCC Rookie and Player of the Year Jennie Lacolla (Stoneham, Mass.) loaded the bases.  Fellow freshman Mattie Brett (Waterford, Conn.) singled to the right field wall to score Russo but was robbed of another RBI when Bilafer was cut down at home by a perfect relay.  Hovhanessian followed with an RBI single before Wright’s first double of the afternoon drove her in.  Nicole Devlin (Dudley, Mass.) capped the scoring with an RBI single up the middle to score Wright from second.

 

After a scoreless second inning from both sides, the hosts pieced together a decisive nine-run third inning to blow the game open.  Fales’ three-run shot made it 8-2 in favor of the defending champs.  Wright, who drove in the innings first run with an RBI double, capped the scoring with a 2-RBI double to plate Brett and Lacolla. 

 

All the while, Endicott all-time leader in win’s proved to be untouchable.  Bortolotti sat down ten straight at one point and did not let the ball leave the infield over the final four innings.  The TCCC Pitcher of the Year finished with two strikeouts to improve to 16-4 on the year.  

 

Alyssa Obin (Plymouth, Mass.) suffered the loss for WNEC and dropped to 7-4 on the season.  The Golden Bears will look to rebound on Saturday when they take on UNE in a semifinal matchup at Endicott’s Softball Complex at 10:00 am.  The winner will advance to the TCCC Championship where it will have to defeat Endicott twice to raise the trophy.

 

The Gulls will need just one win on Saturday for their ninth straight title and will get their first opportunity to do so at 12:00 pm.