Gulls Sweep Wentworth in Home Opener

BEVERLY, Mass. – The Endicott softball team celebrated their home opener on Wednesday afternoon with a pair of victories over Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) opponent Wentworth. In game one the Gulls managed a 15-1 decision led by freshman Rachel Couto (Chelmsford, Mass.) and sophomore Sam DiBella (Danvers, Mass.) who each earned three RBIs. In game two Endicott earned a 12-1 victory over the Leopards, led by sophomore Jamie Corda (Higganum, Conn.) who tallied three RBIs. Endicott improves to 8-2 (2-0 CCC) while the Leopards fall to 4-16 (0-6).

After many game postponements due to recent weather, today marked the first game for the Blue and Green since they traveled back to campus after a successful spring break trip to Clermont, Florida where they participated in the Dot Richardson Spring Games. The Gulls came home with a 6-2 overall record, while defeating key regional opponents; Bowdoin, Plymouth State and Southern Maine.

Game One: Endicott 15, Wentworth 1

After an impressive start to her rookie campaign down in Clermont, Fla. Couto entered game one as the Gulls leader in RBIs (8). Couto along with Corda led with three ribbies while seniors Jesse Bilafer (Concord, Mass.), Alex Moise (North Reading, Mass.) and junior Jess Linden (Stratford, Conn.) each earned two.

Aside from strong offensive work, senior pitcher Nell O'Connor hurled a full five innings, striking out five while only allowing two hits and one run on the 16 batters faced. The lone run for the Leopards came in the top of the second when senior tri-captain Haylee Bacik (Lowell, Mass.) ripped a home run out to centerfield.

The bottom of the first inning for the Blue and Green brought eight runs of their 15 after freshman pitcher Maya Bloom (Hopkinton, N.H.) struggled in the circle throwing five walks and a pair of wild pitches while DiBella and Couto reached home plate on a pair of pass balls.

To end the game O'Connor pitched a 1-2-3 top of the fifth inning to seal to 15-1 victory and head into game two.

Game One: Endicott 12, Wentworth 1

Game two was an overall combined effort by both the Gulls hitting and impressive pitching by junior Meg Donegan (Atkinson, N.H.) who pitched the entire five inning game while earning a career high 10 strikeouts (eight on swinging) on just 19 batters faced giving her a 1.40 ERA for the game.

Corda tallied three ribbies while earning two hits as she doubled to center field in the bottom of the first bringing Moise and Couto home and singled in the bottom of the fourth. Senior catcher Alli Noyes (Tewksbury, Mass.) and designated hitter Kelley Michael (Ipswich, Mass.) also played well offensively registering a pair of RBIs. Working off the bases were Moise, Corda, sophomore Emily Hoffman (Malden, Mass.) and freshman Lexi Pederson (Chandler, Ariz.) whom all recorded a stolen base.

Taking control of the circle for the Leopards was a split between Bacik and junior Sam Curran (Quincy, Mass.). Bacik notched her second homerun of the day and her fourth of the season in the top of the fourth to give Wentworth their lone run for game two.

Donegan was able to close the game in the top of the fifth as she retired three of the four batters faced starting with a strikeout, a ground out to third and a ground out to short. Junior Isabella Grassetti (Monson, Mass.) earned a double to centerfield in the inning but the junior pitcher sealed the victory.  

Endicott will see action next tomorrow, Thursday April 3^rd when they travel to Brandeis for a doubleheader at 3/5 PM.