Read junior Ali Hart's Spring Break Softball Blog H-E-R-E.
CLERMONT,Fla. -- A pair of strong pitching performances Monday allowed the Williams College softball team to open the 2011 season with victories over Western Connecticut State and Carroll University.
Williams (2-0) plays another doubleheader Tuesday, facing Southern Maine at 9:30 a.m. and D'Youville at 11:30 a.m.
In its season opener, Williams fell behind 2-0 when WConn scored twice in the top of the first. The Ephs answered with one run in the bottom of the inning when Allison Hart led off with a single and stole second with one out. Hart took off for third when Cedar Blazek lined out to right and scored when the throw to third got away.
The Ephs tied the game in the third when Hart smacked a one-out home run to centerfield. Williams took the lead for good in the fifth when Hart reached on an error and came around on Blazek's RBI-single down the left-field line.
Sophomore Megan Casey made that stand up, striking out three over the final two innings. Casey walked just one and struck out 10 over seven innings. She allowed only five hits in the complete game victory.
Hart finished 2 for 3 with three runs scored.
In the nightcap, Williams senior Mary Beth Daub and Carroll hurler Christine Roggeman engaged in a pitcher's duel for three scoreless innings. The Ephs got on the board with a run in the fourth when Blazek roped an RBI-double to right center.
It was 1-1 in the sixth when Blazek singled with two outs. Blazek took second on a wild pitch. Daub followed with a tiebreaking double and scored when senior captain Caitlyn Cain lined another double that scored Daub for a 3-1 lead.
That was more than enough for Daub, who went the distance, allowing three hits and one walk while striking out six. Cain was 2 for 3 and Blazek 2 for 4 for the Ephs.
