THE LEAD: The No. 3 Bay Path University softball team scored eight runs in the eighth inning to come-from-behind and defeat No. 1 Lesley University in extra innings, 12-4, Saturday afternoon in the 2018 New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) elimination game played at Regis College Field.
HOW IT HAPPENED
· The Lynx struck for a pair in the first inning to jump out to an early 2-0 cushion behind an RBI double from junior shortstop Ashleigh Acker (Apopka, Fla.) and an RBI single from freshman pitcher Jordan Day (Seminole, Fla.).
· The Lesley defense backed Day early on, turning double plays in both the first and second frames to keep the Wildcats off the board before they struck in the third to cut the lead in half at 2-1. Junior third baseman Kayla Peck (Newington, Conn.) drew a walk with the bases loaded to knock in Bay Path's first run of the day.
· In the bottom of the third Lesley got the run right back to retake the two-run lead at 3-1 on an RBI single to centerfield by sophomore catcher Juliana Cecere (Revere, Mass.).
· Bay Path junior designated player Madison Goodhart (Pawtucket, R.I.) collected the Wildcats first hit of the afternoon in the fourth on an RBI single up the middle. She came around to score on a bases loaded walk by freshman Cameille Keith (Pawtucket, R.I.) to make it 3-2 before LU freshman pitcher Tallin Goldberg (Merrimack, N.H.) came on in relief to get out of the bases loaded jam to preserve the one-run lead.
· A leadoff homer in the bottom of the fifth by freshman third baseman Riley Pickett (Rocky Hill, Conn.) made it 4-2.
· Bay Path stayed in the hunt with an RBI single up the middle in the sixth by shortstop Lauren Vallee (Bristol, Conn.) to make it 4-3.
· The Wildcats tied it up in the top of the seventh with an RBI single to left by Taylor Feraco (Oxford, Mass.) to make it 4-4 to force extra innings and went on to score eight runs in the eighth inning to complete the comeback. Bay Path only collected one hit in the extra frame but it was enough to advance in the tourney field.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
· Sophomore pitcher Felicia Gaillardetz (Londonderry, N.H.) went the distance for Bay Pay to earn the win, allowing four runs on eight hits while striking out two to improve to 13-6 on the season.
· Vallee's single in the sixth inning was the senior's 200th career hit.
· The Lynx fall to 3-2 on the year in extra innings games while the Wildcats improve to 1-1 in extra frames, avenging a 3-2 loss in nine innings to Lesley earlier in the season.
UP NEXT
· The Wildcats advance to the loser's bracket final later today and will play at 4:00 PM against the loser of the No. 2 Becker vs. No. 4 Newbury winner's bracket contest.