REDLANDS, CA — Two tough-luck losses to the University of
Redlands Thursday ended the Williams softball team's West Coast
trip with a 4-9 record.
Williams will open play in New England Wednesday, April 8, with
a doubleheader at Western New England College. First pitch is
scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
Williams dropped a heartbreaker in the first game against the
Bulldogs, giving up three runs in the bottom of the sixth to fall,
5-4. The nightcap was scoreless for three, but Redlands eventually
preveiled, 4-1.
"I thought today was certainly our best day of this week," Ephs
head coach Kris Herman said. "Our energy was great, and I thought
both Mary Beth and Caitlyn pitched very well. Overall, it was a
good day except for the final scores and I'm excited to get back
and start our New England schedule."
Williams built a 4-1 lead through three innings of the first
game, scoring twice in the second and twice in the third. In the
second, Morgan Simpson drew a lead-off walk and Emily
Fowler-Cornfeld followed with a single to left center. Libby
Copeland-Halperin came through with a double to left center that
scored Simpson and tied the game at one. Moments later,
Fowler-Cornfeld scored on a wild pitch for a 2-1 lead.
In the Williams third, Joey Lye led off with a single through
the right side of the infield. She moved to second on a groundout
and to third when Becky Sansone reached on an error. After Sansone
was caught stealing, Simpson was hit by a pitch. Fowler-Cornfeld
then came through with an RBI-single to left, and when an error
ensued on the throw back in, Simpson scampered home for a 4-1 lead.
Williams sophomore Mary Beth Daub held Redlands (15-8) at bay
until the fifth. Dory Baga's RBI-single with one out made it 4-2,
but Daub wiggled out of a jam but getting a fly out to center and a
strikeout to strand two runners.
Redlands struck for three runs in the sixth with one out.
Pinch-hitter Katlyn Peterson reached on a bunt single, and scored
when nine-hitter Kai Masutani doubled. Masutani moved to third on
an error on that play, but it was irrelevant as Bulldog lead-off
hitter Nicky Neumann hit a two-run homer to left for a 5-4 lead.
Daub took the loss, allowing eight hits over six frames. She
walked three and struck out four. Lye was 3 for 4 for the Ephs.
The nightcap was a pitcher's duel between Cain and Redlands'
Amanda Doeppel. The Bulldogs broke through in the fourth with two
outs on an RBI-double by Masutani. In the fifth, Baga hit a two-run
home run off Cain for a 3-0 lead.
Williams fought back in its sixth inning. Lye led off with an
infield second and finished 5 for 7 on the day. Cain's grounder
forced Lye at second, but Sansone reached on an error and Simpson
laced a single up the middle to score Cain and make it 3-1. A
Fowler-Cornfeld groundout moved the tying runs to second and third
with two outs, but Doeppel won a battle with Copeland-Halperin,
striking her out to end the threat.
Cain took the loss, giving up eight hits and four runs over six
innings. She walked one and did not strike out a batter.
