BENNINGTON, Vt. – The Regis (Mass.) softball team picked up a pair of New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) wins at Willow Park Thursday afternoon as the Pride defeated Southern Vermont 15-0 in five innings and 4-1.
The Mountaineers (4-8, 4-4) continue their three-day stretch of league doubleheaders on Friday when they head to Becker College for a 1 p.m. first pitch. Regis (9-7, 7-1 NECC) is off until next Wednesday when the Pride host Newbury College for a Conference twin bill slated to begin at 5 p.m.
GAME 1: Regis 15 – Southern Vermont 0 (5 inn.)
The Pride put up two runs in the top of the first in game one before adding another four in the second and six in the third for a comfortable upper hand. The visitors would keep SVC off the board throughout while tacking on another three in the fifth to invoke the run rule.
SVC sophomore shortstop Lizzy Bench (St. Petersburg, Fla.) was 1-3 out of the leadoff spot as junior left-handed pitcher Nicole Matthews (Pittstown, N.Y.) went 1-2. Both freshman first baseman Carly Gillman (Stamford, Conn.) and junior catcher Julia Florence (Salem, Mass.) also turned in 1-2 showings at the dish.
RC sophomore right fielder Kelsey Grimard (Pellham, N.H.) was 2-4 with a walk, three runs scored and two runs batted in while senior center fielder Kelsey Morton (South Portland, Maine) went 1-2 with two walks, two runs scored and an RBI in the win.
Regis freshman righty Madi McLellan (Fremont, N.H.) picked up the win (6-4) from the circle as she allowed just four hits and no walks while striking out seven. Matthews was strapped with the loss (1-3)—striking out one on the day.
The Pride were patient at the plate through the first two frames—using some walks to put up six runs without a hit or an SVC error. Regis then tacked up six runs in the third with Grimard tagging an RBI single to the gap in right-center for the visitors to take a sizable advantage.
Bench got the first Mountaineer runner aboard in the fourth when she singled to the opposite gap in right, and a one-out base hit by Matthews put a pair on the pond for the hosts. McLellan worked out of it, however, to keep the shutout going.
After Regis staked a 15-0 lead in the top of the fifth, Southern Vermont tried to make the most of its potentially-last trip to the plate. Gillman started the box with a single to right before Florence ripped one just past the Pride's second baseman. Regis was able to put away the next three batters, however, to secure the league victory.
GAME 2: Regis 4 – Southern Vermont 1
The nightcap had a much difference feel as it was a tight contest throughout. Neither side could cross the plate until Southern Vermont did so in the bottom of the fourth with a single run. Regis answered right away with two in the fifth, and the Pride added another pair in the sixth to go up by three. The visitors kept the Mountaineers from scoring the rest of the way to take the day's sweep.
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