Veilleux Accomplishes Coaching Milestone In Reaching 600 Career Wins

LEESBURG, Fla. – Endicott softball head coach Mark Veilleux became the 16th active coach and 28th overall in NCAA Division softball history to reach the 600-win milestone when his Gulls completed a doubleheader sweep over North Park (6-1) and Amherst (6-5) on Sunday, March 12 at the NTC Spring Games.

GAME ONE: Endicott 6, North Park 1

Sophomore starter Laura Somerville (Suffield, Conn.) struck out a game-high eight batters in a complete-game effort to lead the Gulls to their season opening victory. Somerville's stat line also included six hits, one earned run, and one walk.

Hayley Jackson (Calgary, Alberta) took the loss (0-1) on four innings pitched, six hits, three runs (all earned), six free passes and five punchouts.

Endicott struck for three runs in the fourth to break open a scoreless tie with a two-run single by Jamie Hopgood (Warwick, R.I.) and an RBI base hit from Danielle Stratton (Agawam, Mass.). The Gulls also tacked on three more in the seventh with run-producing hits from Lindsee Allienello (East Providence, R.I.), Hopgood, and freshman Hannah Llewellyn (Danvers, Mass.).

North Park took away Somerville's shutout bid in the fifth on a RBI single to center by Abby Gentile (Oak Lawn, Ill.).

GAME TWO: Endicott 6, Amherst 5

In the bottom of the seventh, Allienello provided Veilleux with his 600th career win with a bases loaded RBI single up the middle that scored Chrissy Gikas (Danvers, Mass.) from third base.

Endicott trailed 5-3 headed into the final half inning but capitalized on two Amherst errors alongside three hits to claim the comeback victory. Hopgood knocked in the first run of the frame by lacing a single up the middle before Julia McNeil Smithtown, N.Y.) walked with the bases juiced to eventually set up Allienello for the walk-off hit.

Endicott freshman reliever Michaela Hamill (Lynn, Mass.) picked up her first career win in her first-ever NCAA appearance on five innings, four hits, one run (earned), zero walks and one strikeout.

NOTES

• Veilleux is the winningest coach in Endicott history.
• Hopgood went 3-for-5 with four RBI over both contests.
• Casie Beauchemin (Lincoln, R.I.), Llewellyn, Allienello, and McNeill all three hits each between the two games.
• McNeill came into Game 1 at 98 career hits and earned her 100th career hit with a 2-for-4 effort at the plate.

WHAT'S NEXT

Endicott (2-0) plays Keene State and Westfield State tomorrow at 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM, respectively, in Leesburg, Fla. at Sleepy Hollow Field 1.