Athletics News and Press Releases

April 21, 2007
For Immediate Release
Contact: Carole Grills
(413) 585-2703

          Softball Splits Doubleheader at Coast Guard

Northampton, MA: The Pioneers ended their regular season splitting a doubleheader in New London, CT this afternoon with NEWMAC rival Coast Guard, 1-2 and 6-4. Smith finished the season in fifth place in the NEWMAC standings.

     The Pioneers will travel to Springfield on Wednesday and face Clark University at 3 pm in the first game of the six-team double elimination tournament. If the Pioneers win the first game, they will face Springfield, the number one seed at 5 pm.

     In today's first game, the Bears put a run on the board in each of the second and third innings which was enough to defeat Smith 2-1. The Pioneers answered with one run in the fourth as Katie Schoenen (Ellicott City, MD) walked and a single by Taryn Pestalozzi (Troutdale, OR) sent her to second. Both runners advanced a base on an error and Schoenen scored on a fielder's choice. Emily Hiltzik (Westbury, NY) went the distance for Smith in the loss giving up seven hits and striking out four.

     The Pioneers opened the second game with three runs in the first inning. Nicole Banton (Shaver Lake, CA) hit a double that scored Megan Kiefer (Oak Park, IL) and later scored on a passed ball. Schoenenen singled and then scored on an error.

     Smith scored another run in the second and third innings to take a 5-2 lead. Coast Guard closed the gap to one adding runs in the fifth and sixth innings with the Pioneers adding an insurance run in the seventh as Banton knocked in a run with a ground out. Dezarai Fisher (Phoenix, AZ) pitched five innings for Smith and picked up the win with Hiltzik closing the game.

..................................................................................................................................................................................