Bay Path Splits with Daniel Webster in NECC Softball Opener

LONGMEADOW, Mass.—In the New England Collegiate Conference softball opening weekend of play Bay Path split with Daniel Webster falling 1-0 in the opening game while taking the nightcap 10-4. The Wildcats outscored the Eagles by five runs on the day with freshman pitcher/infielder Keelin Dougherty (Northfield, N.H.) leading the way batting .500.  Dougherty also added four runs and three stolen bases, while notching the complete game victory with five strike-outs.

Game one proved to be a stalemate between both hurlers. Daniel Webster junior pitcher Amanda Wilson (Merrimack, N.H.) went the distance giving up only one hit , while striking out eleven and walking four for the victory. Bay Path senior Alex Putnam (Topsfield, Mass.) suffered the loss allowing only one run, unearned, on five hits. Putnam (3-3) fanned two while only walking one batter for the day. Both pitchers finished with a 0.00 ERA.

Wilson scored the lone run in the opener after reaching on a single shot to right field.

In the nightcap, Bay Path would strike first with Dougherty scoring the first run on a passed ball.  With a 1-0 lead Bay Path would again take advantage of some errors with  senior utility player Jessica Priestly (Middleboro, Mass.) plating

Dougherty and freshman infielder Nicole Dexter (Delanson, N.Y.) off a hard shot to deep left field.

Daniel Webster would string together three runs. Senior infielder Mikaelia Ramnanan (Rahway, N.J.) would score the Eagles first run after reaching on a walk. Junior infielder Amy Waller (Berlin, Mass.) would plate Ramnanan on a double shot to centerfield. Waller would score the second run on another double shot to left center by the junior hurler Lauren Chesnulavich (Hudson, N.H.). Chesnulavich would score the final run of the third after a single by sophomore catcher Melissa Kelly (Hill, N.H.).

Dougherty would again answer the Eagles call tallying another run and notching an RBI off a single sending sophomore outfielder Theresa  West (Hadley, Mass.) home.

Gervais would score the fourth and final run for the Eagles in the fifth with Waller registering the RBI.

Bay Path would continue to score five more runs including freshman catcher Mercedes Griffith's (Malden, Mass.) fourth homerun on the season.

Dougherty recorded the win allowing four runs on eleven hits. Chesnulavich suffered the loss allowing ten runs, only three earned, on three hits. She walked eleven and fanned four.

Bay Path is now 7-5 overall and 1-1 in conference play, while Daniel Webster is 1-5 on the season and 1-1 in the NECC. The Wildcats are on the road next traveling to MCLA on Thursday, April 7 for a 3:00 p.m. double header.