WESTON, Mass. – The Regis College softball team won in extra innings in game one but succumbed to a big seventh inning in game two in a twinbill split to Bay Path University in New England Collegiate Conference action on Saturday afternoon at Regis Field. The Pride rallied to win 3-2 in eight innings in the opener but gave up three seventh inning runs to lose 6-4 in the second game.
Katie Cuozzo (Lynn, Mass.) won game one for the Pride (10-8, 6-4 NECC) with Lisa Lusardi (Enfield, Conn.) dropping game two. Starter Madison Goodhart (Pawtucket, R.I.) was the pitcher of record in both games for the Wildcats (8-16, 5-7 NECC).
Game 1
The opener saw the Pride bats come alive late to snag the extra-inning win. Trailing 2-0, the Pride bats would finally come alive as Brianna Napoleone (Medford, Mass.) and Allison Caloggero (Medford, Mass.) came through with RBI singles to tie up the game. Allie Petillo (West Sayville, N.Y.) and Michaela Nejaime (Sandisfield, Mass.) would both cross home plate to end Regis's scoring drought.
After a tough first inning, Cuozzo (7-2) held the Wildcat order in check, retiring 14 straight at one point. She finished allowing two runs on two hits with seven strikeouts. Goodhart (7-12), in suffering the loss, allowed two earned runs in seven and one-third innings.
Bay Path had a chance to take the lead in the eighth inning, but Paige Marshall (New Britain, Conn.), who had advanced to third with one out, was gunned down at home on a 2-3-2 inning ending double play. The Pride seized the momentum as Alyssa McKinnon (Rowley, Mass.) scored on an infield grounder one-half inning later to give Regis the win.
Kirbie Garvey (Littleton, Mass.) batted 3-4 for the Pride with Napoleone adding two hits and an RBI. Lauren Valle (Bristol, Conn.) had a hit and one run and Anna Meyer (Millbrook, N.Y.) added a hit and an RBI for the Wildcats.
Game 2
Bay Path against struck first in game two. Jailinne Ruiz (Hadley, Mass.) singled then was driven home by a Meyer double as the Wildcats again led after a half an inning of play. Bay Path had a chance for more one inning later with two runners in scoring position and just one out. Napoleone fielded a grounder at short, looked back the runners, and made the throw to first, then Lusani (3-3) got Goodhart looking to end the inning.
The Pride would seemingly take control with a pair of runs each in the third and fourth innings. McKinnon's two-run single in the third scored Garvey and Kelsey Grimard (Pelham, N.H.) to give the Pride the lead, then Alexa Nejaime (Sandisfield, Mass.) doubled and was driven home by sister Michaela as part of another two-run inning to put Regis up 4-1.
The Wildcats shaved the lead with runs in the fourth and sixth innings before rallying and putting the game away in the seventh. Vallee doubled and Meyer singled to lead off the inning, both later scoring to give Bay Path a lead it would not relinquish as Regis came up empty in the bottom of the seventh.
Grimard batted a perfect 3-3 for Regis with one run and Michaela Nejaime added two hits, one run and one RBI. Meyer had a monster game for the Wildcats with three hits, one run and two RBI.
Both teams return to action on Sunday. Regis hosts a twinbill against Daniel Webster starting at 12:00 p.m. with Bay Path hosting Elms for a Senior Day doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m.