Game 1 Box Score
Game Two Box Score
AMHERST, MA — Timely hitting, pitching
and defense all played a role Saturday as the Williams College
softball team swept a hard-fought doubleheader from rival Amherst,
6-4 and 6-3 in 8 innings, capturing the Little 3 championship and
earning the right to host the 2010 NESCAC Tournament May 7-9 in
Williamstown.
Williams improved to 16-19-1 with the sweep, after starting the
season 0-8. The Ephs finished 9-3 in the NESCAC West Division,
earning the top seed in the conference tournament. They will play
Bowdoin at 2:30 p.m. Friday, with Wesleyan to play Tufts at 5 p.m.
Friday.
The Ephs scored two runs each in the fourth, fifth and sixth
innings of the opener. That 6-4 win clinched the NESCAC West title
and the right to host the conference tournament. The game was
knotted at two heading into the top of the fifth. Sophomore Allison
Hart, who went 6 for 7 in the twinbill, grounded a single through
the left side leading off the inning. After an out, first year
Cedar Blazek launched a two-run home run to left field for a 4-2
lead. It was Blazek's 10th homer of the season, extending her
single-season record at Williams.
Williams added to key insurance runs in the sixth when Carly
Ameen led off the inning by crushing a home run — her eighth
of the season — to center field. Oriana Mcgee singled, and
after the first out, Hart lined an RBI-double in the gap in
right-center field. In the bottom of the frame, Amherst plated two
runs to make it 6-4 and had the bases loaded with two outs when
Mary Beth Daub — on in relief of starter Megan Casey —
struck out Emily Neill to end the frame.
The Jeffs were not finished however, as they loaded the bases
with one out in the bottom of the seventh. First year Megan Kepnach
ripped a liner back to the box that Daub snared, then threw to
third to double off the runner and end the game.
Ameen finished 2 for 3 with three RBI for Williams, while Hart
was 3 for 4 and Blazek 2 for 4 with two RBI. Mcgee was 2 for 3 and
Merrilee Weston was 2 for 4 for the Ephs. Casey earned the win,
going 5 1/3 innings and allowing five hits, four runs, two earned,
while walking four and striking out one. Daub picked up the save,
allowing three hits over 1 2/3 innings, walking no one and fanning
one.
The nightcap was equally thrilling as Williams and Amherst each
scored a run in the sixth, before the Ephs plated three in the
eighth to put their foes away. For Williams, Hart's first home run
of the season, a shot to left field leading off the sixth inning,
gave them a 3-2 lead. Amherst re-tied the game in the bottom of the
inning when an error allowed Reilly Horan to score.
In the Williams 8th, Mcgee led off by beating out a slap to
shortstop. Senior captain Jess Cross then beat out a bunt for a
basehit. Hart then sacrificed the two runners over and reached on
an error on the play, loading the bases with no outs. Caitlyn
Cain's RBI-grounder broke the tie, and Blazek followed with a shot
to right field that went for a two-run triple and a 6-3 lead.
Amherst put runners on first and second with two outs in the
bottom of the eighth, but Daub, who went the distance for the game
two win, fanned Christina Anderson to end the game. The Ephs junior
gave up eight hits and three runs, two earned, while walking three
and striking out one over eight innings.
Hart was 3 for 3 for the Ephs, and Blazek 2 for 4 with three
RBI.
