NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - The Regis (Mass.) softball team is still looking for its first win of the season, after the Pride dropped both ends of a double header on Monday at the North Myrtle Beach Park and Sports Complex. In game 1, Regis fell 4-2 to Randolph College, and in game two the Pride was bested by Mary Washington 11-1 in six innings.
Against Randolph, the Pride made a solid comeback effort after falling behind early, but fell just short. Randolph got on the board first in the bottom of the first inning, when senior Hunter Glave (Ashland, Va.) and junior Becca Montgomery (Lancaster, S.C.) hit back-to-back homers to give the WildCats an early 3-0 edge. Regis freshman pitcher Madi McLellan (Fremont, N.H.) settled in for the rest of her outing however, as she allowed just two hits and one unearned run while striking out four in the next 3 2/3 innings until the Pride went to the bullpen.
Down 4-0 in the top of the fifth inning, sophomore Kelsey Grimard (Pelham, N.H.) put the Pride on the board with a clutch two-out, two-run bloop base hit over the head of the Randolph second baseman. The single drove in seniors Rachel Tortora (Malden, Mass.) and Jenna Casello (Westborough, Mass.) to cut the deficit to 4-2. Grimard finished the game 2-for-4, the only Pride batter to record a multi-hit game in the loss. The Pride got runners on 2nd and 3rd in the top of the seventh, but couldn't get the runs across to tie the score, ending the threat and giving the WildCats the win.
Freshman Crystal Daly (North Grosvenordale, Conn.) looked strong in her first collegiate outing on the hill, as she relieved McLellan in the 5th inning. Daly was efficient, throwing just 14 pitches, all for strikes, in two innings in relief, and not allowing a hit. Freshman Abbi Pannill (Prince George, Va.) went the distance for the WildCats to pick up her third win of the season. The rookie allowed two earned on six hits while striking out nine in the victory. McLellan was dealt the loss for the Pride.
In game two, the Pride was unable to generate any offense from the start, while Mary Washington jumped all over the Regis pitching. The Eagles scored in every inning except the fifth, while sophomore Kara Deppe (Henrico, Va.) left the Pride hitters baffled.
Deppe took a no-hitter into the bottom of the sixth, until Grimard poked one up the middle with two outs for a single to bring in pinch runner Kelsey Morton (South Portland, Maine) and put the Pride on the board. Deppe finished the game throwing six innings of one-hit ball, allowing the one earned run while striking out eight.
Of the Eagles' 11 runs, only three were charged as earned runs against Pride pitchers. Daly, who started in the circle for the Pride, got the loss after allowing two earned on seven hits in three innings. McLellan came on in relief, pitching two innings and allowing three hits and no earned runs. Sophomore Lisa Lusardi (Enfield, Conn.), Sunday's starting pitcher, came on for the sixth inning, allowing one earned run on three hits.
The Pride will be off on Tuesday, before returning to play two more on Wednesday in Myrtle Beach, taking on Cedar Crest and Lehman at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
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