Scores:
Williams 8, Smith 0
Williams 7, Smith 2
Location: Northampton, MA
Records: Williams 15-10; Smith 17-12-1
The Short Story:
The Ephs delivered a strong performance in their doubleheader against Smith College today. The Ephs' pitching was excellent, racking up 18 strikeouts across both games. Game 1 pitcher Sadie Leonard struck out 11 batters, and game 2 pitcher Katie Blanch struck out 7 batters. Leonard and Blanch are currently ranked the third and fourth in NESCAC.
In Game 1, Alysa DeQuiroz's clutch RBI triple and Sidney Miller's RBI single contributed to an early lead in the first game. Kelly McGuigan further extended their lead with a solo homer in the next inning. Game 2, saw Sydney Fleming igniting the Eph's rally with a home run, followed by a powerhouse inning where the team amassed five runs. These offensive bursts secured the victories and showcased Ephs' ability to capitalize on scoring opportunities.
Coach's Take:
"It was a good day. We had to battle to come back in game two, which was good for us. Again, our pitching was strong and our bats backed it up. We still have some work to do to be consistent on defense." noted head coach Kris Herman.
Game 1
How it Happened
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Sadie Leonard dominated on the mound. The sophomore recorded eleven strikeouts on sixty-one pitches and gave up only two hits and one walk.
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The team put up eight runs on eight hits.
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The first runs for the Ephs came In the top of the 2nd inning. Sydney Fleming drew a walk. Katie Blanch followed by singling to center field, which advanced Fleming to second base. Alysa DeQuiroz delivered an RBI triple to right field, driving in both Blanch and Fleming to open the scoring. The scoring didn't stop there; Sidney Miller then followed up with a single to center field, bringing DeQuiroz home and extending the lead to 3 runs.
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In the following inning, Kelly McGuigan hit a solo homer into left field, giving the Ephs a 4-0 lead.
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Vicky Trujillo Balderas led off the 4th inning with a double to right field. DeQuiroz continued the offensive momentum, hitting a ground ball that advanced Balderas to third. Sidney Miller then hit a ground ball. As the play developed, an errant throw by the Smith allowed Balderas to seize the opportunity and score another run for the Ephs.
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In the top of the fifth inning, with no outs and Kaia Glickman and Sydney Fleming on first and second, respectively, the pressure mounted on. A passed ball escalated the situation by allowing Glickman and Fleming to advance to second and third. Emily Borrazzo capitalized on this miscue by hitting a single to right field. The defense, under pressure, made an error, which allowed her to advance to second base while driving in both Glickman and Fleming. Katie Blanch then grounded out but successfully moved Borrazzo to third base. Alyssa DeQuiroz delivered the final hit of the game, driving in Borrazzo with an RBI single to left field, sealing the win for the Ephs.
Game 2
How it Happened
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Katie Blanch delivered an impressive pitching performance with 7 strikeouts over 7 innings. She successfully shut down Smith's offense in the final two innings after they took the lead in the bottom of the 5th inning.
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Smith scored its first run in the second inning after a series of plays that included a single, a fielding error, and a couple of fielder's choices. The play culminated in a groundout to shortstop, which allowed the runner from third to score.
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Sydney Fleming put the Ephs on the scoreboard at the top of the 4th inning when she hit a homer to right field, her sixth home run of the season!
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Smith took the lead in the bottom of the 5th inning when a player singled to left field, advanced to second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt, and then scored on an RBI single to second base.
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With Smith in the lead at the top of the 6th inning, the Ephs made a huge offensive move. In an impressive inning, the team scored five runs to secure a substantial lead. Alysa DeQuiroz led the charge, hitting a double to center field and advancing to third on a passed ball. Justine Dunaway drove DeQuiroz home with a double. With Sydney Fleming reaching first on a walk and Dunaway on second, Vicky Trujillo Balderas took advantage of this prime scoring position, singling, and advanced to second on the throw, which brought Dunaway home and Sydney Fleming to third. Kaia Glickman then hit a 2 RBI double to right field; Glickman scored the final run of the inning off an RBI single by Emily Borrazzo.
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The Ephs added another run in the top of the 7th inning when Kaia Glickman singled to the shortstop, driving in Kelly McGuigan from second base after Sydney Fleming had singled to put runners on first and second.
Up Next: Trinity College, April 27th at noon in Hartford, Connecticut
