SOFTBALL SPLITS AGAIN WITH VISITING WILDCATS

The Mount Ida College women's softball team split their seventh Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) double header today against visiting Johnson & Wales University dropping game one 4-3 but rebounding to capture game two 5-3.  The Mustangs move to 8-18 overall and 6-10 in conference play while the Wildcats become 4-22 on the year, 2-10 in the GNAC.

Game one went to the visitors starting with a two run, two hit top of the first inning along with the Mustangs first error of three in the opener.  A bunt single by JWU freshman Holliann Barry (Newburgh, NY) followed by a Mount Ida error on a Korissa Bailey (Pelham, NH) grounder put runners on first and third with no one out.  After a pop out, a grounder by freshman Lauren Lomonaco (Southampton, NJ) plated the first run of the game making it 1-0 visitors.  Bailey eventually crossed for the second run of the inning after a ripped single by Wildcat senior Sheri Plante (Millbury, MA) taking the opening 2-0 advantage.

The Mustangs answered in the bottom of the first with a one run, one hit inning.  After two consecutive outs by the Mustangs, freshman catcher Erica Belliveau (Tewksbury, MA/Tewksbury) crushed her second home run of the season on a pitch belt high that was hammered into the seats.  Mount Ida only managed to get one run back trailing 2-1 after one. 

After a couple of very quiet innings, the visitors added another run to the board in the top of the sixth on a one run, two hit inning with a costly error by the Mustangs.  JWU freshman Amy Fish (Oxford, MA) started things off with a single and eventually advanced to third on an error by the Mustangs putting two on with two out.  A single to left center by Wildcat freshman Olivia England (Natick, MA) scored another for the visitors who now leading 3-1 going into the bottom of the sixth. 

The Wildcats added one more insurance run, which proved to be the difference, in the top of the seventh on a Fish single, leading 4-1.  Mount Ida made it interesting in the bottom of the seventh plating two runs with no hits and an error by JWU.  Two back-to-back walks to start the inning put two on with the tying run at the plate.  A 4-3 sacrifice bunt by Mustang sophomore Becky Tisbert (Cambridge, VT/Lamoille Union) drove in one run cutting the visitor lead to 4-2.  A Wildcat error on a grounder by Belliveau scored another making it 4-3.  A pop out would ultimately end the game with the visitors taking the 4-3 game one win.

MIC senior Hurler Kerri Kwasek (Framingham, MA/Framingham) went the distance for the hosts going all seven frames surrendering eight hits with zero earned runs and four strikeouts.  All of the Wildcat runs came from costly errors turned into unearned runs by the Mustangs.  JWU sophomore Amanda Rae Sullivan (East Granby, CT) went the distance for the visitors giving up six hits and two earned runs. 

Game two went to Mount Ida, but it started with a one run top of the first by the Wildcats that featured two Mustang errors.  Another mistake on a grounder by the hosts put a runner on second with one out.  An error by the right fielder put two runners in scoring position.  Lomonaco hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score the first run of game two leading 1-0.

Mount Ida answered in the bottom of the first with a four run, four hit inning with Belliveau doing the damage again.  A leadoff single by junior Katie Lorenco (Mattapoisett, MA/Old Rochester) followed by and error that put Tisbert on gave Belliveau the honors.  She again hammered her second round tripper of the day making it 3-1 in favor of the Mustangs.  Sophomore Lauren Garnick (Boxford, MA/Masconomet) manufactured the fourth run of the inning off a sac fly to center ending the inning with the hosts leading 4-1. 

We fast forward to the top of the fifth with the Wildcats scoring a run on two hits.  Two consecutive outs to leadoff the inning gave the Mustangs hope for a quick frame.  But the Wildcats saw a double from England followed by a triple from Barry to drive in run two for the visitors making it 4-2 Mustangs.

The Mustangs took back the run in the bottom of the fifth on a sac fly by senior Tiffany Kowarsky (Springfield, MA/Longmeadow) driving in Lorenco who reached on a walk.  Mount Ida would have the 5-2 advantage at the end of the fifth. 

The Wildcats tried to make a valiant comeback in the top of the seventh inning in their last at-bats.  They only managed to convert one run on a single to centerfield by Barry making it 5-3 Mustangs.  That's as close as the visitors would get giving Mount Ida the game two win.

Kwasek went the distance again for the Mustangs surrendering six hits on two earned runs with six strikeouts.  Wildcat junior Liana Rivera (Queens, NY) pitched game two giving up seven Mount Ida hits on three earned runs and one strikeout.

The Mustangs will head to non-conference Wheelock College this coming Tuesday starting at 3:00 p.m. for more action.