Weston, Mass.-- Hope Benjamin (Rochester, Mass./Old Rochester Regional) hits grand slam in sixth inning to lead Regis College (2-30) to a 5-4 win over Elms College (12-10) Thursday. Benjamin, a senior, was honored prior to the game as part of Regis' senior day, and was announced as the college's all-time home run leader.
Benjamin went 1-for-3 at the plate, had four runs batted in, and 12 putouts defensively. Her homerun was the only one for the game, and Benjamin’s seventh of the season. Benjamin is currently the all-time homerun leader in Regis College history.
In a game that was scoreless until Sarah Buckley (Wilbraham, Mass./Minnechaug Regional) and Isaira Caraballo (Springfield, Mass./Central) each scored runs in the fourth inning for Elms, neither team had much offensive success. Buckley reached base on a single, while Caraballo reached on an error. The pair batted 1-for-4 at the plate, with Buckley also earning a walk from Regis’ Kendra Abram (Acushnet, Mass./Bishop Connolly).
Abram earned the win for Regis College given that she pitched two innings that led to Regis’ come-from-behind win. In Abram’s two innings on the mound she allowed just two hits, walked one batter (Buckley), and struck-out two Elms batters.
Sarah Porteus (South Wellfleet, Mass./Nauset) started for the Pride. Porteus pitched 5-of-6 batters into getting out, and struck out 2-of-3 batters in the second inning. In 24 batters faced she allowed four runs, walked one, and committed two errors in her five innings.
Blazers Rachel Butt (Agawam, Mass./Agawam) and Allyson Witaszek (Feeding Hills, Mass./Agawam) had the best night at the plate. Butt batted 2-for-4 and earned one RBI, while Witaszek was 2-for-3 with an RBI and six putouts. Regis’ Alex Manavas (Montville, Conn./Montville) had the best night batting (2-for-3), and defensively had seven putouts.
With Elms taking a 4-0 lead after the fifth inning, the Blazers were able to stave off the Pride for one more inning before Elms went scoreless in the top of fifth. Kara Donovan (Woburn Mass./Arlington Catholic) reached base on a single, her only hit of the night, and later scored on Amanda Carlson’s (Ayer, Mass./Ayer) single. Porteus also reached base on a single up the left-side just splitting the third basemen and shortstop.
With Rachel Cavella (West Roxbury, Mass./Fontbonne Academy) on base with an error, the bases were loaded as Benjamin stepped to the plate. Elms pitcher Destinee Meeker (Bantam, Conn./Litchfield) went at Benjamin, but found her first two pitches missing just outside of the plate for balls. The third pitch would be fouled off out of play by Benjamin, but the crack of the ball against the bat sounded as if it were gone.
The count now 3-1, Benjamin settled into her stance to prepare for Meeker’s next pitch. Benjamin stepped, swung, and with a clean hit the ball left the bat high over the right field netting, and would roll to rest near Regis’ outdoor facility.
Regis College will take its win into a doubleheader versus The Commonwealth Coast Conference opponent Wentworth Saturday (April 16) at noon. Elms will travel to Mitchell College on the same day.