No. 17 Softball Earns Split With UMass-Lowell, 6-5, 8-0
Box Score Game One
Box Score Game Two
BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (March 28, 2010) – The 17th-ranked C.W. Post softball team dropped a tough contest in game one of a doubleheader against UMass-Lowell, 6-5 in eight innings, but rebounded to defeat the Riverhawks, 8-0 in six innings in the nightcap, on Sunday afternoon in non-conference softball action.
The Pioneers up their record to 14-6 on the season, while UMass-Lowell stands at 7-11.
The Riverhawks took advantage of shaky defense by the Pioneers with a run in the first and a run in the second.
The Pioneers put together a three-run fourth inning as freshman designated player Rogin Hardy (Kirkland, Wash.) doubled to left center, followed by an infield single by senior shortstop Christie Softy (Floral Park, N.Y.). Graduate third baseman Shannon Kulnis (Flemington, N.J.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and sophomore shortstop Kendall Bright (Manlius, N.Y.) singled up the middle to drive in the first run. An RBI groundout by Nicole Capella (Shirley, N.Y.) scored another run, and a wild allowed Bright to score the go-ahead run and put the Pioneers up 3-2.
Lowell struck for two runs in the fifth and went ahead 4-3, as Bri Mahoney homered and Heather Ross singled home a run.
The Pioneers answered with a run of their own as sophomore Kerry Fisher (Barto, Pa.) scored on a single up the middle by Softy, and the game was tied at 4-4.
C.W. Post pulled ahead again in the sixth courtesy of a throwing error by the Riverhawks pitcher that allowed Bright, who had singled to reach base, to score.
Elyssa Boris homered to center field in the seventh to tie the game yet again.
UMass-Lowell took the lead in the eighth Alyssa Bryan singled to right field scoring Megan Guy from third base.
The Pioneers had the tying run on third base and looked to tie up the score on an extremely close play at the plate in the bottom of the inning, but the controversial call went in favor of UMass-Lowell and the Riverhawks sealed the 6-5 win.
Junior pitcher Christina Berardi (Raynham, Mass.) took the loss for C.W. Post, giving up one earned run in 1.2 innings of work scattering four hits. She came on in relief of starter Sarah Kiser (Arnold, Md.) who went 6.1 innings giving up five runs on eight hits, striking out four.
In game two, sophomore hurler Hayley Bettles (Surrey, British Columbia) shut down the visitors, as the Pioneers scored two runs in the second on a two-run homer by Bright, and another in the third as Medina scored on a throwing error by the second baseman.
In the fourth, senior left fielder Katie Fisher (Barto, Pa.) homered to left field, and Fisher struck again in the sixth as she roped a double to right center that scored two runs. A double steal scored Medina in the seventh, and Kerry Fisher's RBI groundout plated the eighth and final run of the game.
Bettles had a final line of six innings pitched, shutting out the Riverhawks on three hits and two walks, striking out nine.
Medina's three hits and Katie Fisher's two hits led the Pioneers at the plate, as Fisher also drove in three runs.