DUDLEY, Mass. (April 15) – The Nichols College softball team split a non-conference doubleheader with visiting Westfield State Thursday afternoon, winning the first game, 3-2, before falling in the nightcap, 5-1. Nichols stands at 11-19 overall while Westfield State holds at 15-7 overall
Nichols took advantage of two illegal pitches in the second inning of the opener to score three runs and junior pitcher Lindsay Hassett (Oxford, Mass.) didn’t allow a hit past the third inning in her complete-game three-hitter to keep the game intact.
With runners on second and third in the second frame, an illegal pitch sent the first run across, and the second came around on an RBI single from Lauren Correia (Seekonk, Mass.). Correia later scored on a bases-loaded illegal pitch.
The Owls answered back in the top of the third, scoring two runs on a double-steal that got away from the Bison. With Lisa Policelli on third and Kerin DeGirolamo on first, Policelli got into a rundown as she went for home, allowing DeGirolamo to head for second. The throw was late and the ensuing attempt at home went wild, allowing DeGirolamo to head for third. DeGirolamo later crossed on a wild pitch.
The Bison had runners in scoring position in the third and left the bases loaded in the fifth before Westfield pitcher Ashtyn Welcome retired the side in order in the sixth.
In the nightcap, the Owls tagged Nichols starter Kara Buckley (Nashua, N.H.) for six hits in 4.1 innings, scoring all five runs in the fifth inning on five hits and an error. Three consecutive singles from the bottom of the lineup sent one run across before DeGirolamo belted a two-run double to make it 3-0. Alicia Gardner followed with an RBI single to plate DeGirolamo all the way from second and later came around to score on an error.
Owls pitcher Madeline Tomich was outstanding on the mound, fanning seven before allowing a Bison hit in the fifth inning, a Kylie Langton (Medford, Mass.) single. It was one of just two allowed by the junior, as she finished with 13 strikeouts and five walks.
Tomich did walk the bases full in the seventh, allowing a two-out RBI single from Bison leadoff hitter Samantha Hardigan (Brockton, Mass.) before fanning the final batter to end the threat.
Nichols travels to Wentworth Saturday for a The Commonwealth Coast Conference doubleheader at noon, While the Owls travel to Bridgewater State for a MASCAC pair on Saturday at noon.
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score