Keene State College (KSC) women’s softball played a doubleheader against the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Dartmouth, but they only stuck one win in the round on April 29.
First Game
The game started with KSC’s Molly St Germain striking out seven balls and pitching five hitters. However, that was just the start for the KSC sophomore who then lit the scoreboard with a solo home run after hitting the ball smack over to the left-field fence. This was in the bottom of the first.
In the fourth inning, St Germain kept any hope of the Corsairs pounding a basepath nearly impossible. Even when Corsair player Cierra Sheerin had a hitting chance, it was cut short with a 1-6-3 double play ending the inning.
Luke Stergiou/ Senior Photographer
UMass Dartmouth was reluctant to give up. In the fifth, they tied after Lexi Pereira opened with a double to the right, then a swift move to third on a bunt play by Brittany Polk. Then, a wild pitch gave McKenzie Joyce a score for the Corsairs.
The Owls brought the game to a win when KSC senior Kayla Votto followed in suit of St Germain and plowed through the bases on her first home run of the year. Both her and St Germain had two hits in the first game while KSC junior Brittany DaMota had her own. The ending score was 1-2 with KSC taking the win.
Game Two
UMass Dartmouth started strong after the first game’s loss. In the top of the second, Polk scored on a RBI single in addition to making a 4-0 on a three-run homer accomplished by Marissa Spinuzzi in the third.
The Owls couldn’t catch a point until the bottom of the sixth where the table was set for KSC junior Olivia Indorf, who had a single up the middle after St Germain and KSC junior Shae Crosby both singled prior to Indorf’s play.
Shortly thereafter, KSC first-year Brooke Arruda had her own single hit to center, bringing the score to 4-2. KSC first-year JoEllen Racicot then provided a two-RBI single to bring the game to a tie.
At the top of the ninth with an RBI single by Spinuzzi, the Owls kept at it. St Germain scored another point after walking to first, moving to second on Indorf’s single and then made it home on Arruda’s left curve single hit.
This, however, wasn’t enough to keep UMass Dartmouth at bay. Maxine Vincent and Emily Colton each passed on a single with Spinuzzi getting her second three-run homer in the game in left center, bringing the score to 8-5.
At the bottom of the ninth, both St Germain and Crosby walked, but with no avail. Indorf hit a pop ball getting to second base and Arruda hit to the left, ending the game.
The ending score was 8-5 with UMass Dartmouth taking the win.
The Owls are fifth in the Little East Conference standing out of eight teams.
Dorothy England can be contacted at dengland@kscequinox.com