Athletics News and Press Releases

April 18th, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jen Steele
(413) 585-3076

Softball Splits with Amherst

Northampton, MA: Junior captain Niki Banton (Shaver Lake, CA) went 5-7 in today’s non-conference match-up with local rival Amherst College. The Pioneers won the first game 10-0 in five innings but were unable to pull off the sweep, dropping the second game 4-5. With the split the Pioneers improve to 13-15 overall.

Smith jumped on the board early in the first game, sending eleven batters to the plate and scoring six runs in the bottom of the first inning. Leadoff hitter Megan Kiefer (Oak Park, IL) singled and advanced to second on senior Chloe Pete’s (Beaverton, OR) infield hit. After senior Debbie Sasges (Vancouver, BC) reached first on an error by the Jeffs’ shortstop, the bases were loaded for Banton, who singled, scoring Kiefer. Starting pitcher Alex Chang-Graham (San Carlos, CA) got junior shortstop Kate Schoenen (Ellicott City, MD) to strike out, but number seven batter Crystal Fryer (Louisville, KY) reached first on an error by the second baseman, allowing Pete to score. After junior catcher Taryn Pestalozzi (Troutdale, OR) flied out to the third baseman, designated hitter Erin Quinn (Northbrook, IL) singled, scoring Sasges. With the bases loaded number nine hitter Anna Cressotti (Southampton, MA) hit a deep double to centerfield, scoring both Banton and Fryer. That brought Kiefer back up to the plate, who knocked in Quinn with a single up the middle. After six hits and six runs, Chang-Graham got Pete to fly out to end the inning.

The next few innings were quiet, as neither team could push a run across the board. However, the Pioneers struck again in the bottom of the fourth when Kiefer started the inning off with a walk and then stole second. Pete and Sasges hit back-to-back singles, with Kiefer scoring off Sasges’ hit. Banton followed, singling and plating both Pete and Sasges. After Schoenen struck out, Fryer reached first on a fielder’s choice and scored off Pestalozzi’s top of the fence double, giving the Pioneers a 10-0 lead after four innings.

Junior pitcher Dezarai Fisher (Phoenix, AZ) picked up the win on the mound, giving up just four hits while striking out three. Chang-Graham took the loss, surrendering eleven hits and nine earned runs in 3.2 innings of work.

Smith attacked first in game two, scoring three runs in the bottom of the second inning. First year Mikal Minarich (Hobart, IN) started things off with a single and advanced to second on a single by Quinn. After starting pitcher Samantha Miller (Newton, MA) got Pestalozzi to fly out and Cressotti to ground out to the first baseman, she issued Kiefer a two-out walk. The walk proved deadly, as Fryer stepped up and hit a deep double over the centerfielder’s head, clearing the bases and giving the Pioneers the 3-0 lead.

The Jeffs got one run back in the top of the third when Annalise Rodli (La Canada, CA) reached first on a Fisher error and advanced to second two batters later when Anne Kelly (Littleton, CO) singled. After Rodli advanced to third on a passed ball, Ralina Shaw (Tumwater, WA) singled, plating Rodli and making the score 3-1.

Smith answered back in the bottom of the fourth when Pestalozzi drilled a 2-0 Miller offer deep over the centerfield fence, giving the Pioneers a 4-1 lead. However the Jeffs rallied in the top of the sixth, scoring four runs off six hits, earning the first lead of the day. The Pioneers were unable to push a run across the plate in the final two innings, dropping the second game 4-5.

Fisher took the loss for Smith, giving up eleven hits and four earned runs. Maddie Tamagni (Salinas, CA) earned the win for Amherst, giving up just two hits and striking out four.

The Pioneers are back in action again this Friday, April 20th as they host WPI for a NEWMAC doubleheader starting at 3:30.

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