Softball Lose to La Roche and Alfred State

NAPLES, Fla. - The Elms College Softball team faced off against La Roche University and Alfred State College in a non-conference doubleheader Monday morning in the 35th Annual Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic.

BASICS
Game 1
Score: Elms College 4 | La Roche University 15
Records: Blazers 0-3, 0-0 (GNAC) | Redhawks 0-2, 0-0 (AMCC)

Game 2
Score: Elms College 5 | Alfred State College 17
Records: Blazers 0-4, 0-0 (GNAC) | Pioneers 1-3, 0-0 (AMCC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1
Elms would start with first year pitcher Reece Hebert (North Haven, Conn.) in the circle, where she would pitch three ⅓  innings with three strikeouts. La Rouche would not score in the first inning, but the Blazers would score twice, after sophomore pitcher/utility player Caity Flynn (Colchester, Conn.) would score as sophomore infielder/pitcher Jill Dykema (Preston, Conn.) grounded out at first base, followed by sophomore utility player Amanda Raymond (Auburn, Maine) would score on an error as senior outfielder Kyla Cook (Taunton, Mass.) would reach base. The Redhawks would then score 11 runs in the next three innings, as Elms would transition sophomore pitcher/outfielder Kaelyn Zakaitis (Amherst, Mass.) to the pitching rubber in the top of the fourth inning. Zakaitis would finish the game pitching three and ⅔ innings with a strikeout. In the bottom half of the inning, graduate student catcher Kelsey Bennett (Granby, Mass.) would score after first year utility Sydney Barthel (Windsor Locks, Conn.) would reach base on error. Then in the bottom of the next inning, Bennett would drive in Cook with a one-run single to right field for their fourth and final run of the game. La Rouche would score three more times in the top of the seventh inning to secure the 15-4 victory.

Game 2
The second game would see the Blazers once again score first after senior outfielder Sarah Fortini (Florida, Mass.) would hit a two-run single to drive in Cook and Raymond, followed by a two-run single from Dykema to score Fortini and Bennett to earn a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning. In the bottom half of the inning, Zakaitis would take the ball again to start the game, but Alfred State would score seven runs in the inning. Midway through the inning, Dykema would make her first pitching appearance of the season, pitching two and ⅓ innings with a strikeout. The Pioneers would score an additional run in the bottom of the second inning, but Elms would score their fifth run after Dykema would drive in Bennett in the top of the third inning. Alfred State would continue to add to their lead, adding four runs in the bottom of the third and two runs in the fourth innings, as Flynn would take over in the circle, pitching one and ⅔ innings, with two strikeouts. The Blazers would not stop their efforts offensively, as first year infielder Nyah Colon (Springfield, Mass.) would hit a double for her first career hit in the top of the fourth inning, followed by a single from Bennett and Fortini reaching base on a fielder's choice in the top of the fifth inning, but those efforts would not be enough as Alfred State would win the game 14-5.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Bennett: four for six, with three runs scored and a run batted-in.

• Colon: two for four, with a double and a walk.

• Cook: 0 for four, with three walks and a run scored.

• Dykema: one for seven, with four runs batted-in and pitched two and ⅓ innings, with a strikeout.

• Flynn: one for seven, with a run scored and pitched one and ⅔ innings, with two strikeouts.

• Fortini: two for six, with two runs batted-in and a run scored.

• Hebert: pitched three and ⅓ innings, with three strikeouts.

• Raymond: three for six, with three runs scored and a walk.

• Zakaitis: pitched three and ⅔ innings, with a strikeout.

UP NEXT: The Elms Softball team will return to Naples, Fla. on Tuesday, March 11th as they face off against the State University of New York at Potsdam at 9 am and Lesley University at 11 am at the North Collier Sports Complex Fields 5 & 4.

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