April 9, 2007
For Immediate Release
Contact:  Carole Grills
(413) 585-2703

 Smith Softball Defeats Westfield State 6-4

Northampton, MA:  Senior Deb Sasges (Vancouver, BC) went 3-for-4 for the Pioneers this afternoon as Smith defeated Westfield State 6-4 in Northampton in a non-conference match-up. With the win, Smith improved to 8-12 overall while Westfield’s record dropped to 9-5.

             The Pioneers got on the board in the first inning when Chloe Pete (Beaverton, IL) led off and reached on an error and then stole second.  Sasges doubled in her first at bat and picked up an RBI as Pete scored. Smith put another run up on the board in the third inning when first year Megan Kiefer (Oak Park, IL), Sasges, and Emily Hiltzik (Westbury, NY) all singled with Kiefer scoring on Hiltzik’s hit.

             Nicole Banton (Shaver Lake, CA) started the four run fifth inning for Smith with a base hit and advanced to second on Hiltzik’s ground out to third.  With two out, Katie Schoenen (Ellicott City, MD) singled and scored Banton.  Catcher Taryn Pestalozzi (Troutdale, OR) collected a base hit while Schoenen advanced to second. Sophomore Erin Quinn (Northbrook, IL) reached on an error with both base runners advancing. Schoenen scored the second run of the inning on a wild pitch followed by Crystal Fryer (Louisville, KY) who singled to score the final two runs for the Pioneers.  

             Westfield State mounted a comeback of their own in the sixth inning. Down 6-0, the Owls’ Lindsay Jardin (Assonet, MA) and Adrienne Walker (Springfield, MA) each singled followed by Rosemary Dowling (N. Andover, MA) who doubled and picked up two RBI’s. First year Angela Cole (Plainville, MA) doubled and tallied an RBI followed by Katie Gorman (Feeding Hills, MA) who hit a single that scored Cole for the final Westfield run. 

             Hiltzik improved to 6-6 for Smith as she pitched 5 innings and gave up 6 hits with two strikeouts while Chelsea Sylvia (S. Dartmouth, MA) took the loss for Westfield.