Vance Twirls Perfect Game as Softball Sweeps Pine Manor

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - The Bay Path University softball squad collected a pair of victories over host Pine Manor, 9-0 and 12-0, in non-conference action Friday afternoon. With the wins, the Wildcats rise to 7-11, while the Gators fell to 0-10 on the season.

GAME 1: Bay Path 9, Pine Manor 0 (5 Innings)

The Wildcats wasted little time getting on the scoreboard as sophomore Kayla Vance (Clifton, N.J.) doubled and then scored on a bases loaded walk in the first inning. Bay Path continued to surge with a three-run second inning, ignited by an RBI single from sophomore Cameille Keith (Pawtucket, R.I.). Keith and Vance would come around to score on a two-run double from senior Katrina Peck (Newington, Conn.) to push the Wildcats ahead 4-0.

Leading 5-0 in the fourth, Bay Path put the game away as Vance scored on a fielding error, followed by a two-run single from senior Madison Goodhart (Pawtucket, R.I.). Bay Path threatened the add more runs to the board, but the Gators escaped a bases-loaded jam trailing 8-0. The Wildcats added a final run on an RBI double from Peck to secure the 9-0 victory.

Goodhart picked up the victory in the pitching circle, limiting the Gators to four hits across five scoreless frames with seven strikeouts. Pine Manor senior Kristina Giunta (Boston, Mass.) surrendered nine runs, five earned, on nine hits with seven strikeouts.

GAME 2: Bay Path 12, Pine Manor 0 (5 Innings)

After a scoreless first inning, the Wildcats broke the tie with a four-run second inning, led off with an RBI single from Goodhart. Goodhart came around to score on an RBI single from Keith, and then senior Jai Ruiz (Hadley, Mass.) touched home on an RBI single from sophomore Rebekah Walker (Webster, Mass.). Vance brought home Keith on an infield groundout to stake Bay Path to the 4-0 advantage.

The Wildcats picked up two more runs in the third behind an RBI groundout from Goodhart and an RBI double from Ruiz. Leading 6-0 heading into the fourth, Bay Path would double their lead over the Gators, sparked by a leadoff triple from Walker. Walker scored on a Gators error, and then another miscue by Pine Manor brought home Vance. Bay Path sophomore Noelle Bisignano (Cranston, R.I.) delivered an RBI single, and then Keith knocked a two-run double to cap off the six-run frame, en route to the 12-0 win.

Vance hurled her first career perfect game in the victory, registering five hitless innings with no walks and six strikeouts. Gators sophomore Ashley Smith (Decatur, Ala.) took the loss, allowing 12 runs, but only one earned, on 13 hits with two strikeouts in five innings of work.

The Wildcats will return to the diamond for a New England Collegiate Conference twinbill against visiting Elms College Saturday at 3:00 p.m. Pine Manor travels to Anna Maria for a non-conference doubleheader Monday afternoon.