Posted: Mar 28, 2010

Wildcats Split with Badgers

LONGMEADOW, Mass.- Bay Path was led by junior catcher Jessica Priestly (Middleboro, Mass.) who batted .600 and slugged 1.200 helping the Wildcats split the twin bill against the Badgers of Johnson State. Priestly went 3-for-5 with two runs and 2 RBI including a solo shot over the centerfield fence. The opener Johnson State took from the Wildcats 10-5, while Bay Path came back in the nightcap with a hard fought 11-10 victory after nine innings.

In game one Johnson State scored two runs in the second off a single shot by senior infielder/pitcher Julie Gervais (Enosburg Falls, Vt.). Freshman outfielder Chi Vo (Burlington, Vt.) and sophomore outfielder Desiree LaCasse (Hardwick, Vt.) each notched hits and scored after taking advantage of a wild pitch and score. Gervais finished three-for-five with two RBI.

Bay Path answered with only one run in the bottom of the second with senior shortstop/outfielder Sarah Gates(Crown Point, Ind.) nailing a shot through the left side to bring home sophomore catcher/outfielder Kellie Lastwoski (Turners Falls, Mass.).

Again the Badgers scored two more in the third and Bay Path again added one more run in the bottom of the third.

Johnson State again lengthened the lead by eight scoring three more runs in the top of the fifth and three runs in the sixth.

Freshman hurler Meagan Russ (Burlington, Vt.) and freshman infielder Tanya Randall (Fryeburg, Maine) each contributed runs off of a double shot to deep centerfield by sophomore shortstop Morgon Rogerson (Hardwick, Vt.) for their final insurance runs.

Unfortunately for the Wildcats their spark came two late scoring three final runs in the bottom of the sixth. Lastowski started the surge reaching on a throwing error by Russ. Lastowski stole second and advanced to third on a hard shot back to Russ by Gates. Senior infielder Sam Gunseth (Swanzey, N.H.) singled to left field to send Lastowski home. Next up, sophomore Maeghan Whitcomb (Lyndon, Vt.) doubled to left center plating Gunseth and Gates.

Russ grabbed the first win on the season going seven innings allowing five runs none of which were earned. She struck out four batters and walked three giving up eleven hits. Senior Jessica Nizinski (West Springfield, Mass.) gave up seven earned runs allowing fifteen hits for her seven innings of work. She fanned three and walked one batter.

In the nightcap, sophomore hurler Ashley Provost (Ludlow, Mass.) went the distance facing 43 batters giving up ten runs on ten hits only seven earned runs. Provost struck out five and walked five batters in her nine innings of work. Gervais suffered loss giving up 11 runs on 14 hits, seven runs were earned. Gervais fanned seven and placed three on-base. She also launched a three run homer over the centerfield fence

Whitcomb went four-five with one run and two RBI. Priestly also had huge numbers with three hits and single shot homerun.

Bay Path pulled off an upset scoring four innings to knot the score 10-10 in the bottom of the seventh. Junior outfielder Katie Begin (Weare, N.H.) was placed on in the ninth and eventually scored the final run to win the game for the Wildcats off a hard shot to Rogerson by Provost to nab the final RBI.

Bay Path is now 7-7 overall, while Johnson State is 1-2 on the season. The Wildcats host Albertus Magnus on Tuesday, March 28^th at 4:00 p.m.

GAME ONE
Johnson State 10, Bay Path 5 (03/28/10 at Longmeadow, Mass.) (Game 1)

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Johnson State....... 022 033 0 - 10 15 4 (1-2)

Bay Path............ 011 003 0 - 5 11 4 (6-7)

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Pitchers: Johnson State - Russ and . Bay Path - Jess Nizinski and .

Win-Russ(1-1) Loss-Jess Nizinski(3-4) T-1:45 A-67

Weather: Nice 45 degrees

Game: BPS13

GAME TWO

Bay Path 11, Johnson State 10 (03/28/10 at Longmeadow, Mass.) (Game 2)