WESTON, Mass. – Regis College battled with Wentworth during Sunday's doubleheader, but the Leopards were able to prevail over the Pride in both games, 7-1 and 1-0, during non-conference collegiate softball action at Regis Softball Field.
The second game of the twinbill turned into a pitcher's duel between Kate McGrath (Boston, Mass.) of Regis and Erin Hancock of Wentworth. McGrath allowed seven hits and one unearned run as she needed just 78 pitches in seven innings of work, throwing 56 strikes during the game.
Hancock helped her own cause in the fifth inning as she led off with a single to right field, advanced to second on a groundball, reached third on a wild pitch, and scored on a groundout hit by Kaitlin Pettenger. Hancock threw 102 pitches, 77 of them for strikes, as she gave up four hits and one walk in the complete game victory.
The Pride first threatened to score in the second inning after consecutive singles by Madison Smith (Malden, Mass.) and Ciara Collins (Lynn, Mass.), but a double play lineout ended Regis's scoring threat. In the bottom of the seventh, Kayla Morrill (Lynn, Mass.) led off with a single, and Smith reached on a Leopard fielding error. After a sacrifice bunt by Collins advanced the runners to second and third with one out, Hancock induced a foul out to Kayla Richard and a pop up to Julia Bollentin to end the Pride rally and preserve the shutout.
In the first game, Wentworth struck first in the top of the third inning as Katelin Howe drew a leadoff walk, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, reached third on a wild pitch, and scored on a single by Briana Beverly. Meanwhile, Regis put a runner on base in each of the first three innings but could not bring a run across.
Sarah Fawcett (Londonderry, N.H.) led off the bottom of the fourth with an infield single. On a sacrifice bunt by Smith, pinch runner Reilly Jewett (Norton, Mass.) hustled to third base, drawing a wild throw that brought her home for the game-tying run. With two outs in the inning, Collins laced a double to right field and advanced to third on a single by Bri Page (New Boston, N.H.), but a groundout ended the inning with the game tied at 1-1.
With two outs in the fifth inning, Beverly singled to right field and Alexandra Pina followed with a home run to over the fence in left-center field, giving the Leopards a 3-1 lead. Beverly led off the seventh inning with a double and scored on a double by Jess Rowe, with Wentworth also taking advantage of three Regis errors to score three unearned runs in the inning.
Kayla DeMedeiros earned the victory for the Leopards, allowing six hits, one walk, and one run in six innings of work. Jilian Glynn (Londonderry, N.H.) started for the Pride and gave up six hits, three walks, and three runs in 5 2/3 innings before Alyssa Ward (Webster, Mass.) took over in relief and pitched the rest of the way.
Regis (1-10) hosts Massachusetts Maritime Wednesday, March 30, in a doubleheader beginning at 5 p.m. Wentworth (10-4) plays a doubleheader at Framingham State Tuesday, March 29, starting at 3 p.m.