Wildcats Split with Falcons Today

LONGMEADOW, Mass.-- The Wildcats of Bay Path College split with the Falcons of Albertus Magnus falling 5-2 in the opener and taking the nightcap 6-7. junior shortstop Emily Serrano (North Adams, Mass.) scored the game two winner in the bottom of the seventh after tallying a single to left center. Fellow junior infiedler Marissa Stone (Londonderry, N.H)effectively plated Serrano on a prefectly laid sacrifice bunt to the Falcons freshman pitcher Danielle Thuerling (Wallingford, Conn.).

In game one, Albertus Magnus struck first scoring two runs in the second with freshman Elaina Mirto (Hamden, Conn.) and sophomore Melissa Manning (Milford, Conn.) tallying the runs; Manning took advantage of a misfired throw down to second base.

The score would remain 2-0 until the top of the sixth when Mirto shelled a homer over the left field fence.

The Wildcats would finally answer back in the bottom of the sixth, scoring two runs. Rhodes satrted the rally doubling to center field. She took advantage of Falcons error and scored their first run breaking up the shut-out. Serrano would single to left center and tally an RBI sending freshman catcher/infielder Nicole Ogden (Springfield, Mass.) home.

Unfortunatley for Bay Path, Albertus Magnus would score two more insurance runs in the top of the seventh. The Falcons top of the line-up would put down two effective bunts to help load the bases. Junior infielder Danielle Figueroa (Bridgeport, Conn.) would single down the left field line plating lead off batter freshman Shannon Knox (Hamden, Conn.). Figueroa would eventually score on this play as well after Griffith would tag out freshman infielder Brittney Urciuoli (Newington, Conn.) and over throw an attempt at a double play.

Sophomore pitcher Keelin Dougherty (Northfield, N.H.) would suffer the loss giving up five runs, four earned on ten hits. She struck out seven and walked one. Thuerling would garner the win giving up two runs on five hits while fanning ten and walking two for the opener.

Dougherty also led the way offensively for the Wildcats going 2-for-4 for game one.

In the nightcap, the Falcons struck first with Figueroa and Urciuoli scoring runs. They would add a run in the third after a Wildcat error with Figueroa scoring again.

Bay Path would answer in the bottom of the third Dougherty and Rhodes scoring. Freshman outfielder Katherine Chabot (Brookfield, Mass.) would tally the first RBI after a well placed sacrifice fly to deep center field. Ogden would send a double shot to left field to notch the second RBI.

Urciuoli would score on fielder's choice in the fifth giving Albertus a 4-2 advanatge. Bay Path would rally back in the bottom of the inning taking the lead 6-4. Dougherty would spark the rally knocking a homer over the centerfield fence. Coming into to pinch hit with two outs, senior infielder Maeghan Whitcomb (Sheffield, Vt.) came up big with three RBI plating Griffith, Ogden and Chabot.

Another Bay Path error would knot the game at 6-6 when two more Falcons would score.

Dougherty would come back in to pitch the final two innings for Bay Path effectively holding the Falcons in the seventh striking out Knox for the final out.

Bay Path's Serrano would tally the game winner.

Dougherty would pick the win hurling the final two innings, while Thuerling suffered the loss. Starting pitcher freshman Marina Rhodes went 5.0 innings allowing only four runs, two earned on five hits, fanning three. Rhodes was also effective at the plate hitting safely in boht games including a two hit game in the nightcap.

Ogden led the way, going 3-for-4 with one double.

Bay Path is now 5-15 while Albertus Magnus is now 6-8. Bay Path will travel to New London on Saturday, March 31 facing their first conference double header against Mitchell with a 1:00 p.m. start.