Day One of 2010 NECC Softball Championship Concluded

2010 NECC SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

Quarterfinals • Tuesday, May 4
Game 1-#6 Newbury (12-22, 5-11) at #3 Mitchell (20-12, 12-4), 13-0 MC
Game 2-#5 Daniel Webster (13-16, 8-8) at #4 Bay Path (20-18, 9-7), 8-0 BPC

Semifinals • Friday, May 7 (Hosted by Lesley at UMass Boston)
Game 3-#4 Bay Path (21-18) at #1 Lesley (22-10, 15-1), 6-2 LU
Game 4-#3 Mitchell (21-12) vs. #2 Elms (17-15, 14-2), 4-0 EC
Game 5-Loser of Game 3 #4 Bay Path vs. Loser of Game 4 #3 Mitchell , 5-0 MC
Game 6-Winner of Game 3 #1 Lesley vs. Winner of Game 4 #2 Elms, 2-8 LU

Semifinals and Championship Game • Sunday, May 9 (Hosted by Lesley at UMass Boston)
Game 7-Winner of Game 5 #3 Mitchell vs. Loser of Game 6 #2 Elms, 11:00 a.m.
Game 8-Winner of Game 6 #1 Lesley vs. Winner of  Game 7, 2:00 p.m.
Game 9 (If Necessary), 1:00 p.m.

*Due to inclement weather Saturday's schedule has been moved to Sunday!!!!

BOSTON, Mass. – The #1 seed in the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Softball playoffs, the Lesley University Lynx, won both of their games on day one of the conference championship weekend defeating #4 seed Bay Path College 6-2 and #2 seed Elms College 8-2.  Elms won their first game of the day, beating #3 seed Mitchell College 4-0 before falling to the Lynx.  Bay Path was sent home in the double-elimination tournament after losing to Mitchell 5-0.

Game One – Bay Path 2, Lesley 6  Box Score

Lesley freshman Emily Mangiaratti (AMHERST, Mass./Amherst Regional) went 4-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored as the Lynx as a team compiled 16 hits to beat Bay Path 6-2 in game one of the day.  Lynx senior Jodi Fralick (WOBURN, Mass./Woburn) was also perfect at the plate going 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run.

On the mound, sophomore Cassandra Knox (SEA CLIFF, N.Y./North Shore) earned the win going 7.0 innings, giving up two earned runs on eight hits while striking out six. 

The Wildcats got RBI singles from Vanessa Chaplin (ATTLEBORO, Mass./Attleboro) and Samantha Gunseth (SWANZEY, N.H./Monadnock Regional) in the loss.  Chaplin drove in Ashley Provost (LUDLOW, Mass./Ludlow) in the top of the second inning with a single to left field and Gunseth’s single down the left field line in the top of the fourth plated Kellie Lastowski (TURNER FALLS, Mass./Turner Falls).

Also getting RBI hits in the game for Lesley were Alyson Durben (STOW, Mass./Nashoba Regional), Molly Sarson (SANFORD, Maine/Sanford), and Jenna Fralick (WOBURN, Mass./Woburn). 

Game Two – Mitchell 0, Elms 4 Box Score

Elms sophomore hurler Courtney Hampton (WESTFIELD, Mass./Westfield) pitched a shutout victory, going 7.0 innings and giving up two hits with eight strikeouts as the Blazers defeated Mitchell 4-0 in game two of the day.

Hampton also went 3-for-3 at the dish with two runs scored and an RBI triple to left center that scored Rachel Butt (AGAWAM, Mass./Agawam). 

Blazers catcher Tiffany Williams (BERLIN, Conn./Berlin) went 2-for-3 with two RBI singles, one in the second inning and one in the fourth inning.  The other RBI came from Destinee Meeker (BANTAM, Conn./Litchfield) on a single to center in the second.

Mitchell managed to get just two hits in the game, singles by Nikki Hoxie (WINSTED, Conn./The Gilbert School) and Michelle Anderson (SCOTLAND, Conn./Parish Hill).

Game Three – Bay Path 0, Mitchell 5 Box Score

Mitchell bounced back from a tough loss in game two with a 5-0 shutout of Bay Path in game three of the conference championships.  Highlighting the game was Mariners pitcher Kristina Torres (GROTON, Conn./Fitch) who struck out nine Wildcat batters in 7.0 innings while giving up just three hits and two walks to earn the win. 

The Mariners took advantage of seven Bay Path errors but also got a clutch two-RBI single through the left side by Hoxie as part of a four-run third inning.  Also in the inning, Stacey Suplicki (NEW LONDON, Conn./Saint Bernard) got an RBI groundout and junior Jen Bordonaro (WINSTED, Conn./The Gilbert School) scored from third base after an errant pickoff attempt by the catcher.

With the loss, Bay Path was eliminated from the NECC Championship tournament and end their 2010 season with 21-20 (9-7 NECC) mark. 

Game Four – Elms 2, Lesley 8 Box Score

The Lynx offense continued to impress in first day of the NECC Championships, as the team piled on 10 hits and eight more runs in an 8-2 victory over Elms.  With the win, Lesley will await the winner of the 11:00 am Sunday game between Mitchell and Elms for the NECC Championship. 

Durben, Georgia Saltzman (LYNN, Mass./Lynn English), and Chelsea Quackenbush (EAST HAMPTON, Conn./East Hampton) each had two RBIs in the game to lead the Lynx.  Durben had a bases loaded walk in the first and an RBI single to left field in the sixth.  Saltzman grounded out to bring in a runner from third base in the first and cracked an RBI double to left center in the third.  Quackenbush did her damage with a two-RBI double to left center in the third inning.

Mangiaratti had another solid game going 2-for-4 with two runs scored and Ashley Cunningham (MOUNTAIN TOP, Pa./Crestwood), after going 2-for-4 in game one went 2-for-3 with a run scored in game two for Lesley.

For the Blazers, Sarah Buckley (WILBRAHAM, Mass./Minnechaug Regional) drove in a run with an RBI groundout in the first and Williams grounded out to third base to drive in a run in the seventh inning.

On the mound, Knox was solid in victory going 7.0 innings with two strikeouts while giving up two runs, one earned, on five hits and a walk.

Due to poor incoming weather, tomorrow’s scheduled games have been moved to Sunday.  Mitchell will play Elms at 11:00 am and the winner of that game will play Lesley at 1:00 pm.  Should Lesley lose, there will be a deciding game at 3:00 pm to determine the NECC softball champion.