NORTH ADAMS, MA — The Williams College softball team wrapped up its regular season Monday, splitting a doubleheader with crosstown rival Massachusetts College by taking the nightcap of their doubleheader by an 11-2 score.
The Ephs lost the first game 3-1. Their record is now 20-16-1 heading into the first round of the NESCAC Tournament Friday, when they play Tufts at Tufts. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. MCLA ends its season at 11-21.
MCLA catcher Kayla Koumjian hit a two-run, walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning of game one Monday to give the Trailblazers a 3-1 win. But Williams responded with a 13-hit attack in the nightcap, the game ending after five innings due to the eight-run mercy rule.
First year Ali Graebner led the way for Williams in the second game, hitting 3 for 4 with 4 RBI. Classmate Ally Ensor was 1 for 2 with 3 RBI and her fourth home run of the season.Sophomore Cedar Blazek was 2 for 3 in the win.
Williams jumped out on top with a five-run second inning. Ensor got things started with a walk. Blazek laid down a bunt single. After an error and an out put runners on second and third, Amanda Correnti singled to right field for a 1-0 lead. Senior Carly Ameen then singled to center for an RBI.
With two outs, an error allowed a third run to score and Graebner capped the inning with a two-run double to left field for a 5-0 lead. MCLA scored twice in the third to make it 5-2, but the Ephs answered with four runs in their fourth to make it 9-2.
Theresa Legan led off the inning with a single and went to second when senior Caitlyn Cain dropped down a sacrifice bunt. Graebner singled home Legan for a 6-2 lead. Kaitlin Dinet singled to shortstop and Ensor followed with a three-run blast that made it a seven-run Williams lead.
Senior Mary Beth Daub and first year Alyssa Quan combined on a 1-hitter for the Ephs. Daub went the first three innings and allowed the one hit and two unearned runs while walking two and striking out two. Quan pitched two scoreless innings with a strikeout to earn her first collegiate victory.
Jaclyn Candelet had MCLA's hit.
Game one was a pitcher's duel between MCLA's Hadley Ameen and Williams' Dinet. After a scoreless three innings, both teams scored a run in the fourth. Back-to-back singles by Ensor and Blazek led to an RBI-fielder's choice by Merrilee Weston for the Ephs. MCLA scored the tying run without the benfit of a hit.
It stayed that way until the bottom of the seventh. Candelet led off the inning with a single and Megan Casey relieved Dinet. With two outs, Koumjian blasted a two-run shot over the fence to win the game for MCLA.
Hadley Ameen was the winning pitcher. She allowed nine hits over seven innings while walking one and striking out four. Two of those hits came off the bat of her older sister, Carly Ameen, who went 2 for 3 for Williams in the loss.
Dinet was saddled with the hard-luck loss, allowing four hits and two runs while walking four and striking out three in six-plus innings. Ensor went 2 for 2 for the Ephs.
