Gulls Start Double Elimination Round on Top

CCC Softball Tournament Printable Bracket

BEVERLY, Mass. – Endicott softball hosted a pair of games this evening to start the double elimination round of the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Tournament. In game one, #5 Western New England defeated #4 University of New England 6-3. Western New England moved onto game two of the evening where they faced #1 Endicott. Three Gulls posted two RBIs each to help lead the squad to a 7-0 victory over the Golden Bears.

#1 Endicott (23-11-1) remains undefeated in the tournament while #5 Western New England (20-17) and #4 University of New England (23-16) tab their first losses of the double elimination phase. The rest of the tournament will make its way to Endicott on Thursday as teams will play at the Softball Complex and at Gordon's softball field in Wenham, Mass.

Game One: University of New England 3, Western New England 6

In game one sophomore pitcher Heidi Greiger (Hyde Park, N.Y.) controlled the circle for the Golden Bears while her counterpart, freshman Katelyn Austin (Bethlehem, N.H.) worked the circle for the Nor'easters. Greiger earned the win only allowing three runs while throwing 51 strikes on 79 pitches.

Western New England got on the board early in the top of the first as freshman Gabby Lavinio (Dalton, Mass.) reached home plate after a fielding error by UNE. The Nor'easters fought back in the bottom of the first as they took a 2-1 lead after a double from sophomore Abby Lambert (Brockton, Mass.) and a single by senior Jessica Potter (Crown Point, N.Y.) who both tabbed an RBI.

After a scoreless second inning, the Golden Bears added three more runs on the scoreboard as junior Emily Mastropaolo (Cazenovia, N.Y.) cranked a double to left center for two ribbies and sophomore Heather Fecteau (Biddeford, Maine) sacrificed to left field to bring Mastropaolo home.  Western New England took a 6-2 lead in the top of the fourth as Lavinio ripped a two-run homer to left field.

The Nor'easters earned one more run in the bottom of the sixth but it was not enough as Western New England earned the victory and a spot in game two against the Gulls.

Game Two: Endicott 7, Western New England 0

In game two senior, CCC Pitcher of the Year, Nell O'Connor (Harwich, Mass.) took the circle for the Blue and Green and pitched a complete game while only allowing four hits on 25 batters and striking out four. Her counterpart Greiger started in the circle and was relieved in the fourth inning by sophomore Mickayla Keltos (South Shelton, Conn.), the two combined for two strikeouts and 10 hits.

After a scoreless first inning the Gulls got on the board early in the bottom of the second. With senior Kelley Michael (Ipswich, Mass.) and freshman Rachel Couto (Chelmsford, Mass.) in scoring position, junior Jess Linden (Stratford, Conn.) singled up the middle to send them around to bases to take a 2-0 lead.

O'Connor pitched a 1-2-3 top of the third and the Gulls took the pressure off the senior pitcher in the bottom of the third as they sent three more runs to the scoreboard. The first came from senior Jesse Bilafer (Concord, Mass.) off a single by sophomore Jaime Corda (Higganum, Conn.). With Corda and sophomore Sam DiBella (Danvers, Mass.) on base, sophomore Emily Hoffman (Malden, Mass.) then singled up the middle to send both of them home to take a 5-0 lead.

After a scoreless fourth and fifth inning Endicott recorded their last runs of the game as Bilafer singled to bring freshman's Julia McNeill (Hauppauge, N.Y.) and Hannah Graney (Acton, Mass.) home to wrap up the game on top 7-0.