Bay Path Concludes Regular Season Play with Sweep of Wheelock

Wildcats Honor Three Four Year Seniors for their stellar career in Kat Chabot, Marina Rhodes and Nicole Ogden

LONGMEADOW, Mass.-  The Wildcats of Bay Path University swept the Wildcats of Wheelock College today in their final regular season New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) doubleheader in women's softball action. Game one saw the Bay Path Wildcats shutting down Wheelock 7-0, while the nightcap finished with a 14-4 victory with a walk off grand slam in the bottom of the fifth by freshman shortstop Lauren Vallee (Bristol, Conn.).

In the first game, Bay Path struck first after some great base running by senior outfielder Katherine Chabot (Brookfield, Mass.) scored the first and eventual game winner off a sacrifice fly by Vallee.

Chabot repeated herself again in the bottom of the third scoring after some amazing base running with junior infielder Anna Meyer (Millbrook, N.Y.) plating her after singling to centerfield.

Bay Path exploded in the sixth with five more insurance runs. Senior catcher Nicole Ogden (Springfield, Mass.) started the rally notching two RBI's sending freshman infielder Gillian Flynn (Windsor, Conn.) and junior pinch runner Melinda Metzger (Uxbridge, Mass.). Ogden would then reach home after a single shot to left field by designate player Corin Lash-Wheeler (Keene, N.H.). Junior outfielder Paige Marshall (Hartford, Conn.) and Lash-Wheeler scored the final two runs.

Junior pitcher Kate Sirois (Windsor, Conn.) tossed another shut-out allowing only three hits. Sirois fanned seven and walked three for the win. Sophomore hurler Maggie Doyle (Kingston, Mass.) suffered the loss allowing seven runs on eight hits. She struck out one and walked two.

In the nightcap, Vallee came through big with the walk off grand-slam in the bottom of the fifth to finish the game earlier due to the eight run rule.

Bay Path came out string scoring six runs in the bottom of the first with Chabot, Vallee, junior outfielder Casey Botelho (Providence, R.I.) and Meyer each scored. Senior infielder Marina Rhodes (Providence, R.I.) launched a double shot to deep left field to send sophomore catcher Jackie Lafleur (Gill, Mass.) and Flynn home for the fifth and sixth run. These would prove to be the eventual game winners.

Freshman hurler Sarah Paskiewicz (Ansonia, Conn.) tossed the first two innings. She only allowed one hit and struck out one.

Freshman catcher Rachel Simpson (Littleton, Mass.) broke up the combined shut-out scoring off a Bay Path error.  The Maroon and White Wildcats answered back scoring two more runs in the bottom of the third. Both Ogden and Marshall came home with Rhodes again notching an RBI with a sacrifice fly to center field.

Wheelock started a little rally in the top of the fourth adding three more runs to their tally. Simpson again would come through with a double shot to right center plating sophomore infielder Rebecca Biancardi (Peabody, Mass.).  Simpson and senior leftfielder Becca House (Middlebury, Conn.) would score the Blue and Gold Wildcats final two runs off a Bay Path error.

Bay Path would add another run in the bottom of the inning off a Flynn sacrifice fly sending Botelho home.

With the score 10-4, Vallee would notch the play of the day in the walk-off grand slam.

Junior reliever Maria Carta (Middletown, Conn.) picked up the win tossing the final three innings. She allowed five hits and four runs. Carta struck out two batters.

Wheelock also had two pitchers. Sophomore Vanessa Valenti (Woodstock, Conn.) and junior Kiersten Cosgrove (Pequannock, N.J.) combined for the loss.

Bay Path concludes regular season play at 10-21 and 7-11 on NECC Play. Wheelock is now 2-21 and 0-16. The Wildcats now wait until tomorrow's final games to learn their placement in the 2015 NECC Conference tournament.

Ogden, a four year starter, finished her senior day with 48 runs, 91 hits, 12 doubles, two triples and three home-runs. She also had 69 RBI with a .261 batting average, a .350 slugging percentage and .313 on-base percentage.

Chabot, also a four-year starter, has tallied 64 runs, 93 hits, 12 doubles, eight triples, one homerun, 32 RBI and 44 stolen bases. For her 303 at bats and 102 games played she has a .307 batting average, .360 on –base percentage and a .409 slugging percentage.

Finally, Rhodes the final four year starting Wildcat is currently at 132 games played and 345 at bats. She has tallied 77 runs, 84 hits, 12 doubles, two triples, three homers, 61 RBI and 26 stolen bases.  She has a career average of .243 and .364 on-base percentage with a .322 slugging percentage.