Athletics News and Press Releases

April 3, 2007
For Immediate Release
Contact: Carole Grills
(413) 585-2703

                   Softball Falls to Elms, 7-6

Northampton, MA: The Pioneers had a 5-1 lead at Elms yesterday in the third inning, but the Blazers rallied to defeat the visitors 7-6 and picked up their first win against Smith in ten years. With the victory, Elms improved to 2-6 while Smith fell to 6-9.

     Elms posted a run in the first inning but the Pioneers tallied five in the third to take the lead. Katie Schoenen (Ellicott City, MD), Sarah Matari (Hawthorne, NJ) and first year Megan Kiefer (Oak Park, IL) all singled with Kiefer picking up an RBI as Schoenen scored. Senior Chloe Pete (Beaverton, OR) reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases followed by Deb Sasges (Vancouver, BC) who sacrificed to score Matari. Junior Nicole Banton (Shaver Lake, CA) singled to again load the bases and batted in Kiefer for Smith's third run. Pete scored the fourth run on a hit by Emily Hiltzik (Westbury, NY) and Banton the fifth.

     Elms scored two in the bottom of the third to close the gap to 5-3 and the Pioneers extended their lead to 6-3 in the sixth. The Blazers rally began in the seventh as they scored three to tie the game at six and scored the game winning run in the bottom of the eighth. First year pitcher Alyssa Skewes (Ellington, CT) went the distance for Elms and picked up her first win of the year giving up nine hits while striking out eight. Hiltzik took the loss for Smith giving up 12 hits with 8 strikeouts.

     Smith will host Trinity tomorrow at 4 pm.

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