WILLIAMSTOWN, MA. — The Williams College softball team garnered its third straight split Tuesday, taking the first game from RPI 4-3 before the Engineers exacted some revenge in the nightcap with 10-2, 5-inning affair.
The Ephs moved to 14-14 overall. They have a NESCAC West showdown with Middlebury beginning Friday with one game (5 p.m.) and Saturday with a doubleheader. RPI moved to 18-10 on the season.
The Ephs scored all four of their runs in the game one victory in the bottom of the first as sparkplug Ali Hart reached on an error leading off, moved to second when Theresa Legan beat out a bunt for a single, then was forced at third base on a grounder by Mo Frank. Ali Graebner got things going again with an RBI-single up the middle that scored Legan. Merrilee Weston followed with a two-run double to the gap in right center. With two outs, Weston dashed home on a passed ball for a 4-0 lead.
In the meantime, Eph Emma Harrington continued her hot streak from the circle, sailing through the first three frames. RPI struck for two in the fourth on a two-out, two-run error. The Engineers scored another unearned run in the fifth to make it 4-3.
In the RPI sixth, Tori Hunt singled with one out and stole second. She moved to third on a groundout, but was stranded there when Harrington retired Caitlin McGivern on a one-hop soft liner to first sacker Emalie Rott.
In the top of the seventh, Harrington got off to a great start by winning a long battle with Engineer lead-off hitter Kelly Erkert, eventually getting her to ground out to second. Jocilyn Rudisill then was hit by a Harrington pitch and stole second. With two outs she advanced to third on a passed ball, but was stranded there when Gillian McCarthy fouled out to Legan behind the first base bag.
Harrington went seven innings and gave up only five hits and one walk while striking out five. She did not allow and earned run while improving to 10-3 on the season. Charlene Osmanski took the loss, going six full frames and allowing six hits and one walk while fanning three.
The second game was all RPI. The visitors scored twice in the first and four times in both the second and third. In the first, Rudisill singled and stole second, scoring when Sara Heller lined a two-run home run to left.
Williams cut that deficit in half in its first when Hart led off with a double off the top of the fence in center. She moved to third on a sacrifice by Frank and scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Ally Ensor.
But RPI found itself up 6-1 quickly in the second. Rudisill had an RBI single, and McCarthy cracked a three-run homer. In the third, Rudisill lined a three-run triple and scored on a Heller single up the middle for a 10-1 lead.
Williams scored its final run in the third when Legan doubled and scored on Frank's single up the middle.
Megan Casey took the loss, allowing nine hits and eight runs, all earned, while walking one and striking out three in 2 2/3 innings of work. Kristina Weltzin earned the win for RPI, improving to 14-6 on the season.
Rudisill went 3 for 4 with four RBI and three runs scored while Heller was 3 for 4 with three RBI and two runs scored and McCarthy 2 for 3 with three RBI.
Hart was 2 for 3 with two doubles for the Ephs.
