Mar 27, 2009

WILD GAME TWO FINISH HELPS SOFTBALL SPLIT TWIN BILL

In a wild game two finish with the tying run rounding second base heading for home in the last inning, Mount Ida College softball freshman center fielder Tracy Koukol (North Attleboro, MA/North Attleboro) threw perfect strike to home plate that catcher Erica Belliveau (Tewksbury, MA/Tewksbury) smothered throwing out the runner for a 2-1 victory against visiting Rivier College. The Mustangs dropped a tough game one 3-2 loss to the Raiders but managed to split against a team picked to win the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) in the preseason polls. Mount Ida snatches a very tough victory now positioned at 5-11 overall, 3-3 in conference play sitting in fourth place in the GNAC standings. River drops their second conference loss of the year at 4-2 in the GNAC moving to 7-5 on the season.

The Raiders scored early in game one starting the top of the first inning due to a throwing error by the Mustangs. A leadoff single to left field by Rivier junior Monica White (Augusta, ME) who advanced to second on a ground out kicked off the inning. A muffed grounder by the Mustangs scored White giving them the 1-0 lead early.

The action was quiet for the next couple of frames until the Raiders struck again in the top of the fifth off two runs on four hits. A lead off double to left by Rivier sophomore Kelsy LaRose (Litchfield, NH) and a sacrifice bunt put a runner in scoring position quickly with only one out. White followed with an RBI single to left field scoring LaRose for the 2-0 advantage. Two consecutive singles by the Raiders, from junior's Jess Mellen (Rockland, MA) and Brenna Campbell (Nashua, NH), drove in another run scoring White with the visitors commanding a 3-0 lead to end the inning.

Mount Ida answered in the bottom of the fifth on a crucial error by the Raiders. Junior shortstop Katie Lorenco (Mattapoisett, MA/Old Rochester Regional) was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. After a pop out by freshman Kim Hurley (Fiskdale, MA/Tantasqua), freshman Maddy Anderson (Weymouth, MA/Weymouth) singled up the middle. The Raiders centerfielder let the ball roll through the five hole all the way to the fence allowing Lorenco to score putting Anderson at third base making it 3-1 Rivier. After a strikeout, Koukol followed with a ripped single scoring Anderson from third. Mount Ida pulled within one trailing 3-2 after the fifth.

Unfortunately for the Mustangs, they could not muster anymore offense for the game. Mount Ida eventually had two consecutive 1-2-3 innings to finish the game dropping the opener 3-2.

Hurley started on the mound in game one giving up nine hits on three runs but only two earned with one strikeout. Rivier ace White also went the distance surrendering three hits and only two runs striking out seven batters.

Game two did not see much offense that ended up being a pitcher's duel between Mount Ida senior captain Kerri Kwasek (Framingham, MA/Framingham) and River junior hurler Alexa Feener (Franklin, NH) in a contest that only featured eight combined hits.

The bats were quiet for both squads until the bottom of the second inning when Kwasek helped her own cause with a homerun that was hammered to left field leading 1-0 after two innings. The Mustangs added one more run to their total in the bottom of the fourth on another critical error by the Raiders. A Kwasek walk and a Tiffany Kowarsky (Springfield, MA/Longmeadow) single to left put runners on first and second with one out. Anderson followed with another single to juice the bases for Mount Ida. Freshman Erin Dufficy (Shelton, CT/Shelton) hit a hard grounder to shortstop that was bobbled scoring Kwasek giving the Mustangs the 2-0 advantage after the fourth.

The top of the fifth was a bit scary for Mount Ida, but they escaped without any damage after two errors. For the next inning and a half, neither squad mustered a hit leaving the top of the seven up to the Raiders for a final comeback.

A lead off single by Mellen started the top of the seven for the visitors follwed by a 6-3 ground out moving the runner over to second. Amanda Ryan (West Bridgewater, MA) was inserted as a pinch hitter for Rivier and eventually singled to center moving Mellen to third. Rivier's Feener was called upon to pinch run for Ryan to put some speed on the base for the tying run. A Jillian Robar (Grafton, MA) ground out scored Mellen from third advancing Feener to second pulling the Raiders within one of the Mustangs at 2-1.

White followed with a single to center field with Coach Kelly O'Connell waving Feener around third base to score the tying run. Koukol fielded the grounder cleanly and fired a strike to home plate that Belliveau picked up tagging out Feener for the final out to capture the 2-1 victory.

The Mustangs will play again tomorrow hosting their fourth double header in five days this Saturday against GNAC foe Emmanuel College starting at 12:00 p.m.



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The Mustangs dropped a tough game one 3-2 loss to the Raiders but managed to split against a team picked to win the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) in the preseason polls. Mount Ida snatches a very tough victory now positioned at 5-11 overall, 3-3 in conference play sitting in fourth place in the GNAC standings. River drops their second conference loss of the year at 4-2 in the GNAC moving to 7-5 on the season. The Raiders scored early in game one starting the top of the first inning due to a throwing error by the Mustangs. A leadoff single to left field by Rivier junior Monica White (Augusta, ME) who advanced to second on a ground out kicked off the inning. A muffed grounder by the Mustangs scored White giving them the 1-0 lead early. The action was quiet for the next couple of frames until the Raiders struck again in the top of the fifth off two runs on four hits. A lead off double to left by Rivier sophomore Kelsy LaRose (Litchfield, NH) and a sacrifice bunt put a runner in scoring position quickly with only one out. White followed with an RBI single to left field scoring LaRose for the 2-0 advantage. Two consecutive singles by the Raiders, from junior's Jess Mellen (Rockland, MA) and Brenna Campbell (Nashua, NH), drove in another run scoring White with the visitors commanding a 3-0 lead to end the inning. Mount Ida answered in the bottom of the fifth on a crucial error by the Raiders. Junior shortstop Katie Lorenco (Mattapoisett, MA/Old Rochester Regional) was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. After a pop out by freshman Kim Hurley (Fiskdale, MA/Tantasqua), freshman Maddy Anderson (Weymouth, MA/Weymouth) singled up the middle. The Raiders centerfielder let the ball roll through the five hole all the way to the fence allowing Lorenco to score putting Anderson at third base making it 3-1 Rivier. After a strikeout, Koukol followed with a ripped single scoring Anderson from third. Mount Ida pulled within one trailing 3-2 after the fifth. Unfortunately for the Mustangs, they could not muster anymore offense for the game. Mount Ida eventually had two consecutive 1-2-3 innings to finish the game dropping the opener 3-2. Hurley started on the mound in game one giving up nine hits on three runs but only two earned with one strikeout. Rivier ace White also went the distance surrendering three hits and only two runs striking out seven batters. Game two did not see much offense that ended up being a pitcher's duel between Mount Ida senior captain Kerri Kwasek (Framingham, MA/Framingham) and River junior hurler Alexa Feener (Franklin, NH) in a contest that only featured eight combined hits. The bats were quiet for both squads until the bottom of the second inning when Kwasek helped her own cause with a homerun that was hammered to left field leading 1-0 after two innings. The Mustangs added one more run to their total in the bottom of the fourth on another critical error by the Raiders. A Kwasek walk and a Tiffany Kowarsky (Springfield, MA/Longmeadow) single to left put runners on first and second with one out. Anderson followed with another single to juice the bases for Mount Ida. Freshman Erin Dufficy (Shelton, CT/Shelton) hit a hard grounder to shortstop that was bobbled scoring Kwasek giving the Mustangs the 2-0 advantage after the fourth. The top of the fifth was a bit scary for Mount Ida, but they escaped without any damage after two errors. For the next inning and a half, neither squad mustered a hit leaving the top of the seven up to the Raiders for a final comeback. A lead off single by Mellen started the top of the seven for the visitors follwed by a 6-3 ground out moving the runner over to second. Amanda Ryan (West Bridgewater, MA) was inserted as a pinch hitter for Rivier and eventually singled to center moving Mellen to third. Rivier's Feener was called upon to pinch run for Ryan to put some speed on the base for the tying run. A Jillian Robar (Grafton, MA) ground out scored Mellen from third advancing Feener to second pulling the Raiders within one of the Mustangs at 2-1. White followed with a single to center field with Coach Kelly O'Connell waving Feener around third base to score the tying run. Koukol fielded the grounder cleanly and fired a strike to home plate that Belliveau picked up tagging out Feener for the final out to capture the 2-1 victory. The Mustangs will play again tomorrow hosting their fourth double header in five days this Saturday against GNAC foe Emmanuel College starting at 12:00 p.m.