ANAHEIM, CA. -- The Williams College softball team played the
role of David Tuesday afternoon against Goliath, No. 22-ranked and
previously unbeaten Linfield, defeating the 'Cats, 4-2, in the
second game of a Sunwest Tournament doubleheader.
Williams improved to 2-2 with the win while Linfield slipped to
15-1. The Ephs are off until Friday, when they will begin a
three-game NESCAC West Divison series with Middlebury back at
Peralta Park.
In the first game of the day, the Ephs were topped by No.
3-ranked St. Thomas in a 5-inning, mercy-rule game, 9-0.
Ironically, the Tommies were defeated by Linfield Monday in extra
innings, but that didn't stop Williams from becoming the first team
to drop a loss on Linfield this year.
Sophomore Mary Beth Daub threw a complete-game five-hitter,
walking only one and striking out three. Up 4-2 entering the top of
the seventh frame, Linfield's first two batters reached on singles,
putting the tying runs on base. But Daub snared a comebacker and
alertly turned it into a critical double play, then retired the
final batter on a line drive to shortstop Joey Lye.
"It was a very exciting seventh inning," Ephs head coach Kris
Herman said. "I knew we were going to be in for a battle, but Mary
Beth pitched great, her pitches were really moving and she was
hitting her spots. It's a great win going into the Middlebury
series."
Linfield took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, but the Ephs
responded with two runs of their own in the bottom half to tie the
game. Lye led off with a bunt single and took second on a passed
ball. Caitlin Cain then stroked a two-strike double. Senior Becky
Sansone then put together a 10-pitch at-bat, lining that 10th pitch
into the outfield for an RBI-single.
"That was a great at-bat," Herman said. "We had a few in this
game."
Williams took the lead in the second when Oriana Mcgee walked
and reached third on two errors. Cain came up with two outs and
with an 0-2 count, fouled off five consecutive pitches before
lining the go-ahead single.
The Ephs added an insurance run in the fifth after Lye walked
and reached second on a passed ball. Sansone scored her with an
RBI-fielder's choice two batters later for a 4-2 lead.
Against St. Thomas, the Ephs were shutout on four hits. Lye,
Cain, Daub and Libby Copeland-Halerpin had the hits. Cain pitched
and took the loss, allowing nine runs on 12 hits over five full
frames.
