April 18, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Carole Grills
(413) 585-2703

Softball Drops Two To Wellesley

Northampton, MA: The Pioneers concluded their 2009 season falling to New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) rival Wellesley College, 5-9, 1-6, this afternoon in Northampton. With the victories, Wellesley improved to 19-12 overall and 12-3 in the NEWMAC while Smith finished 6-25 overall and 3-13 in the conference.

Wellesley scored a run in each of the first two innings to take a 2-0 lead but the Pioneers tied it up in the bottom of the second.  Crystal Fryer (Louisville, KY) led off with a double for Smith and advanced one base on Salma Mehter's (Seattle, WA) single. Mehter stole second and both runners scored on a double by junior Laura Robitzek (Auburn, ME).  The Blue added three more runs in the fourth innning to take a 5-2 lead on hits by Elora Daniele (Belle Mead, NJ), Megan Townsend (Saline, MI), Ilana Orloff (Weston, MA) and a Pioneer error. Smith answered with three runs in the fifth to tie the game up at 5-5.  Pitcher Emily Hiltzik (Westbury, NY) and Erin Quinn (Northbrook, IL) each singled while Sarah Goodman (Pittsford, NY) and Jessie Paull (Mercer Island, WA) drew walks. Fryer reached on a fielder's choice and Quinn scored an unearned run on a Wellesley error. Mehter collected her second hit of the game and picked up an RBI as Goodman scored. The Pioneers left three runners stranded and the game remained tied through the seventh to force the tie-breaker. In the top of the eighth, Wellesley scored four runs on five hits to take the win.   Sarah Sherburne (Mill Valley, CA) got the win for Wellesley, giving up 3 hits in four innings while Hiltzik took the loss for Smith, allowing 9 runs on 15 hits.

In the second game, Wellesley scored in the second inning on a homerun by pitcher Megan Wood (Jacksonville, FL) to take a 1-0 lead.  The Blue tallied three more runs in the fifth and two in the sixth go ahead 6-0 before Smith avoided the shutout in the bottom of the sixth on a homerun by Quinn.  Wood collected the win on the mound, allowing 3 hits and striking out 6 while walking three.  Hiltzik took the loss, giving up 13 hits, 6 runs and striking out three.

Townsend went 5-for-7 for the day with 3 RBI's; Wood was 4-for-7 with 3 RBI's, Alison Davis (Glen Ellyn, IL) was 4-for-8 with 4 RBI's and Orloff went 3/7 with 3 RBI's in the double victory for Wellesley while Quinn and Mehter each had three hits for Smith and Robitzek two RBI's.