April 14, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Carole Grills
(413) 585-2703

Smith Softball Splits Doubleheader with MIT

Northampton, MA: The Pioneers split a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) doubleheader 7-16 and 10-4 today in Northampton. With the split, Smith's overall record is now 6-20 and 3-9 in the conference while MIT went to 6-15 overall and 3-7 in the NEWMAC.

In game one, the Engineers took an early 2-1 lead in the third and went ahead 4-1 in the fourth.  The Pioneers scored four runs in the fifth to take a 5-4 lead.  MIT answered with a run in the 7th to force extra innings.  Each team scored a run in the 8th before the Engineers broke the game wide open with 10 runs on 11 hits in the the 9th inning while Smith could only add one run to give MIT the 16-7 victory. Junior Lily Keung (Boston, MA) and first year Jessica Iacobucci (Phoenixville, PA) each went 5 for 6; Keung scored 3 runs while Iacobucci picked up 4 RBI's.  First year Katie Harrington (Lexington, KY) went 2 for 5 and scored 4 runs; while Jessica Oleinik (Ellicott City, MD) and Bensey Schnip (Norwich, CT) contributed with 3 hits each and a combined 5 RBI's.  Iacobucci picked up the win for MIT, allowing 14 hits while striking out 5.

Third baseman Megan Kiefer (Oak Park, IL), outfielder Laura Robitzek (Auburn, ME), pitcher Emily Hiltzik (Westbury, NY), Erin Quinn (Northbrook, IL), first baseman Jessie Paull (Mercer Island, WA) and shortstop Crystal Fryer (Louisville, KY) all got 2 hits in the loss.  Hiltzik took the loss on the mound for Smith, giving up 24 hits while striking out nine.

Game two was called in the sixth inning due to darkness with Smith taking the 10-4 victory.  The home team scored 3 runs in both the first and second innings and added one more in the third to take an early 7-0 lead. MIT scored three in the fourth and one in the sixth while Smith tallied 3 more in the sixth and had two runners on base when the game was called. Kiefer led the team with 4 hits and 2 RBI's; Hiltzik had 2 hits and 2 RBI's as did Paull. Senior Erin Quinn registered the win as she faced 16 batters in four innings and gave up 3 runs and walked four.

Oleinik picked up 2 RBI's for MIT while Katie Harrington (Lexington, KY) scored twice in the loss.  Oleinik also took the loss on the mound for the Engineers, giving up 12 hits, 10 runs, walking 4 and striking out two.

The Pioneers travel to Amherst College tomorrow for a 4 pm non-conference contest.