CLERMONT, Fla. - Regis College was defeated in both games of its doubleheader, losing to Sage and University of Northwestern (Minn.) in non-conference softball action Friday at Legends Way Ballfields.
Sage 12, Regis 1
After two scoreless innings, first-year player Lexi Nichols (Granby, Conn.) hit a line drive home run to left-center field for her first career hit in the top of the third inning, giving Regis a 1-0 advantage.
In the bottom of the third, Arianna Papas hit a triple to left-center field and was driven in on a double by Taylor Dicranian to tie the game at 1-1. Emily Agate would follow with a single, putting runners on first and third. Regis would then make a number of defensive errors that would prevent the inning from ending, allowing Sage to rack up a 10-1 lead.
Sage added an additional two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to extend its lead to 11 runs.
Andria Braga (Rehoboth, Mass.) went 2-for-2 during the game, hitting two singles to improve her batting average to .294 on the season.
Northwestern (Minn.) 15, Regis 7
In the first inning, back-to-back singles by Erin Murphy (Bedford, N.H.) and Diana Petrarca (Coventry, R.I.) put runners at first and second for the Pride, setting up Kayla Morrill's (Lynn Mass.) single to left field, scoring Murphy on the play. Regis would go on to load the bases and add an additional run scored off an Eagle error on a ball put into play by Alex Page (New Boston, N.H).
Reilly Jewett (Norton, Mass.) started the top of the second with a leadoff walk, prompting a pitching change for Northwestern. Braga would reach on an error to set up runners at first and second. On the ensuing at-bat, an error at first base resulted in two runs scoring for the Pride and Murphy reaching third base. Murphy would then score on a ground ball by Petrarca, giving Regis a 5-0 lead.
Errors would once again spell disaster for the Pride as Northwestern was able to score six runs in the bottom of the second off four hits and four Regis errors.
In the top of the fourth, Braga reached base on an error, advanced to second on a Murphy sacrifice bunt, and reached third on a passed ball. Morrill hit a sacrifice fly to left field, allowing Braga to score and tie up the game at 6-6.
After Northwestern regained a 9-6 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, Regis battled back, loading the bases for Braga, who hit a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring a run. Unfortunately for the Pride, Northwestern added to its lead in the bottom of the fifth and put the game out of reach.
Morrill led the Pride offensively, earning two RBIs on two singles during the game.
Regis College (1-8) concludes its trip to Florida with today's action, next hosting Eastern Nazarene Saturday, Mar. 19, with the first game of the doubleheader starting at 2:00 p.m.
