CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Senior Maria Nazzaro (North Reading, Mass.) collected six hits on the day and classmate Allison Fountain (Cheshire, Conn.) drove in six runs to lead the Lesley University softball team to a 19-0 victory over Wheelock College this afternoon in New England Collegiate Conference action at the Pine Manor College Softball Field in Chestnut Hill, MA. Game one was called after the fifth inning due to the eight-run mercy rule. The nightcap was suspended after the fourth inning due to darkness with the Lynx owning a 19-1 lead. Wheelock falls to 0-13 overall and 0-9 in league play, while Lesley improves to 10-12 and a perfect 9-0 in the NECC.
The Lynx scored 38 times on 34 hits for the day, while allowing just one run on four hits.
Lesley opened game one by scoring a pair of runs in the first inning, including an RBI single from junior Jodee Doka (Sacramento, Calif.). The Lynx added four more runs in the second, keyed by a two-run single off the bat of Fountain. A five-run third gave Lesley a comfortable 11-0 lead. Fountain knocked in two more runs with a double, while freshman Carlyn Barker (Marietta, Calif.) singled home a run as well. Fountain came through again for the Lynx in the fourth with a two-run single to give her a game-high six runs batted in. Lesley left no doubt with six runs in the fifth to give it a 19-0 cushion. Nazzaro highlighted the frame with a two-run triple and senior Nicole Mercurio (Wakefield, Mass.) capped the game one scoring with an RBI double.
Nazzaro and Fountain each finished with three hits in the game for Lesley. Freshman Marisa Stolting (New Britain, Conn.) and juniors Becca House (Middlebury, Conn.) and Molly Rose (Weymouth, Mass.) each collected a singles for Wheelock.
Sophomore starting pitcher Jordan Thomas (Fitchburg, Mass.) hurled a complete game three-hitter to improve to 5-3 for the visitors, while allowing just two walks and striking out seven. Freshman Erin Rice (Windsor, Vt.) (0-3) was saddled with the loss, allowing 13 runs (11 earned) on 12 hits and six walks.
The Wildcats clawed out a run to get on the board first in the bottom of the first of game two. Sophomore Kiersten Cosgrove (Pequannock, N.J.) laced a two-out single to center field and later scored on a passed ball and a throwing error to give the home team the lead. Lesley answered with three runs in the top of the second, including a two-run double from senior Sarah Apgar (Andover, N.J.) and a run-scoring single from Nazzaro. The Lynx sent 13 batters to the plate, scoring nine of them in the third to take a 12-1 advantage. Mercurio led the attack, driving in two runs with a single, while Apgar, Barker and Mekenzi Golden (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) each plated a run with a single. Lesley scored six more times in the fourth to take a 19-1 lead paced by RBI doubles from Apgar and Nazzaro. Sophomore Angela Mukai (Amherst, N.H.), Golden and Doka each knocked in runs with a single as well for the Lynx.
Apgar, Doka and Nazzaro each had three hits for Lesley before the contest was suspended. Cosgrove had the only hit for Wheelock.
Freshman Alyson Nisbet (Clovis, Calif.) completed four innings for the Lynx, allowing just one hit and one unearned run, while fanning four batters. Freshman Vanessa Valenti (Woodstock, Conn.) started the game for the Wildcats and gave up 10 runs (eight earned) on eight hits and a pair of walks in two and a third innings of work. She also struck out a batter.
Wheelock returns to action on Thursday, April 17 when it travels to Leicester, Mass. to take on NECC foe Becker College for a doubleheader at 3:00 p.m., while Lesley hosts Mitchell College on the same day at 3:30 p.m.