Softball Sweeps St. Thomas Aquinas in First ECC Doubleheader of 2011, 8-0 and 6-1
Box Scores; Game 1;Game2
BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (March 26, 2011) – The C.W. Post softball started the ECC regular season off with a doubleheader sweep of St. Thomas Aquinas, 8-0 and 6-1. The Pioneers now improve to 8-4 on the year, and kick off conference play with a 2-0 record.
C.W. Post scored four runs in both the bottom of the third and the bottom of the fifth to tally all the scoring.
Kristen Morcone (Milford, Mass.) singled and then advanced to third on a Krysta Palazzo (Sea Cliff, N.Y.) bunt single and throwing error by the Spartan catcher. After Palazzo stole second, Carly Chamberlain (Nesco, N.J.) doubled down the left field line, plating the first run of the ballgame. Kerry Fisher (Barto, Pa.) then singled in Morcone two batters later, making the score 2-0 in favor of C.W. Post.
Chamberlain then scored on a wild pitch to attach another run, with Kaci Hopkins (New Egypt, N.Y.) coming in on sacrifice fly by Nicole Hagenah (Commack, N.Y.). That made the score 4-0 after three innings.
The Pioneers then piled on more runs during the bottom of the fifth. After a Hopkins walk and a Fisher single, Hagenah blasted her third homerun of the season to center field, making the game 7-0. Kendall Bright (Manlius, N.Y.) and Jessica Julich (Kings Park, N.Y.) then doubled back-to-back, with Bright scoring the eighth and final run of the game, forcing a mercy rule win for the Pioneers in five innings of play.
Those eight runs were more than enough for starting pitcher Sarah Kiser (Arnold, Md.), who didn't allow a hit until the fourth inning and struck out five straight batters prior to that. Kiser picked up her fourth win of the year (4-3) behind 11 strikeouts and only allowing two hits in five innings of work.
The scoring parade continued for the Pioneers in the bottom of the first of the second game, with Chamberlain and Hopkins getting things started with back-to-back singles. After Fisher hit into a fielder's choice that forced out Hopkins at second, Hagenah continued her terrific day with an RBI single to score Chamberlain. The next batter, Bright, then doubled to right center to clear the bases, making the score 3-0 C.W. Post.
The St. Thomas Aquinas Spartans took a run back during the top of the fourth, with Devin Meikle singling home Alyssa Cataldo. Cataldo begin the inning with a double to left field.
The Pioneers tacked three more runs during the bottom of the fourth however, making the score 6-1. Two of those runs came off of a #Britney Agostini# (Dover, Del.) inside the park homerun, scoring Julich as well who reached previously due to an error in right field.
Christina Berardi (Raynham, Mass.) threw in another great performance by a Pioneer pitcher on the day, picking up her fourth victory of the year as well. In seven innings of work, Berardi struck out 10 while only allowing one run and scattering six hits.
Next for the Pioneers will be another ECC doubleheader, with this time Queens being the visitors to the C.W. Post softball complex on Sunday, March 27. The doubleheader is set to get underway at 12 p.m.