Wildcats Fall to Mountaineers in Softball Double Header Action

LONGMEADOW, Mass.-  The Wildcats suffered two hard losses by one run in both games including a hard fought nine inning battle to 9-8 in the nightcap during a blustery day against NECC rival Southern Vermont. Bay Path also fell 4-3 in the opener to the Mountaineers. Four Wildcats hit safely in both contests including senior short stop Emily Serrano (Savoy, Mass. , junior outfielder Katherine Chabot (Brookfield, Mass.),  senior pitcher Keelin Dougherty (Northfield, N.H.) and sophomore outfielder Anna Meyer (Millbrook, N.Y.).

Southern Vermont scored two right off the bat in the first taking advantage of some Wildcat errors .  Bay Path answered with a run by Chabot. The game remained knotted until the top of the 4^th when sophomore Rachel Robtoy (Bristol, Conn.) doubled to right field to plate senior Erika Garay (Walnut, Calif.) and senior Kirstin Buchan (Albany, N.Y.).

So with the score 4-1, Bay Path tied for the comeback only falling short by one run. Serrano again would notch the RBI just as in the first inning this time sending both junior infielder Marina Rhodes (Providence, R.I.) home and sophomore utility Casey Botelho (Providence, R.I.) home on a double shot to deep right field.

Junior hurler Emily Fleming (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) picked up the win allowing three runs (two earned) while striking out four.  Freshman Lauryn Zovistoski (Granville, N.Y.) closed out the victory for her second save of the year, allowing just one hit and two walks in two innings of work.

Dougherty was strapped with the loss after giving up the four runs (two earned); she fanned three on the day. 

In the nightcap, The Mountaineers jumped ahead early scoring five runs combined in the second and third inning. Bay Path would finally answer the call in the fourth scoring four runs. Dougherty scored first on some great base running. Followed by senior catcher Mercedes Griffith (Malden, Mass.)who nailed a two- run homer bringing Serrano along for the ride. Meyer would conclude the scoring.

Meyer would again make a play in the sixth singling through the left side to plate Serrano. This would knot the game 5-5.

Both Southern Vermont and Bay Path would each add two runs in the sixth inning again proving a tied- game at 7 all.

The pitchers would hold off the seventh with no scoring. With runners placed on in the eighth both teams would again score one run. Southern Vermont's Zovistoski would notch the winning run in the ninth.

Fleming was 2-4 at the plate with a home run, three RBIs, and two runs scored while Robtoy added another three runs batted in and a lone run scored. Starting pitcher Hayley McDonald (Latham, N.Y.), who took a no-decision, went 1-2 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored in the victory.

Zovistoski collected her first collegiate win (1-4) as she was still in the game when the Mountaineers took their ninth-inning lead. McDonald struck out five in four innings of work while Zovistoski and Fleming tallied two K's apiece.

Griffith was 2-4 with a home run, two RBIs and a run scored for the hosts while Chabot went 2-5 with a run scored and another knocked in. Serrano registered a 1-4 plate appearance with a walk, two stolen bases and two runs scored. Dougherty once again took the loss from the circle (8-12), pitching all nine innings for the Wildcats.

Both teams look ahead to Saturday conference twin-bills starting at 1 p.m., the Mountaineers visiting Regis College and Bay Path hosting Becker College.