Softball Loses to Emmanuel in Conference Opener

CHICOPEE, Mass. - The Elms College Softball team hosted Emmanuel College for a conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Cheryl R. Condon Field.

BASICS
Game 1
Score: Elms College 0 | Emmanuel College 16
Records: Blazers 0-8, 0-1 (GNAC) | Saints 2-10, 1-0 (GNAC)

Game 2
Score: Elms College 3 | Emmanuel College 11
Records: Blazers 0-9, 0-2 (GNAC) | Saints 3-10, 2-0 (GNAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1
Junior pitcher/outfielder Kaelyn Zakaitis (Amherst, Mass.) would start the first game for Elms. Unfortunately, the Emmanuel bats would start the inning by scoring 11 runs. Shortly thereafter, sophomore pitcher Reece Hebert (North Haven, Conn.) would come in to relieve Zakaitis, where she began by striking out the first batter, but the Saints would score three more runs before the end of the opening inning. In the top of the second inning, Emmanuel would extend their lead by two more runs. In the bottom half of the inning, junior infielder/pitcher Jill Dykema (Preston, Conn.) would earn a walk, but the Blazers' offense would not be able to score. In the top of the third inning, Hebert would add a looking strikeout, and the Elms defense would keep the Saints from adding additional runs. In the fourth and fifth innings, Emmanuel would score two more runs on a sacrifice fly and a home run. Still, Hebert would add a pair of swinging strikeouts, and junior pitcher/utility player Caity Flynn (Colchester, Conn.) would earn a walk, but the Saints would win the opening game 16-0.

Game 2
Flynn would take the ball for the Blazers, and would strike out the lead-off batter, where the batter would try to reach first base on a dropped third strike, but first year catcher/utility player Jordyn Rossi (West Springfield, Mass.) would toss the ball to junior utility player Amanda Raymond (Auburn, Maine) for the out. In the bottom half of the first inning, Raymond would hit a lead-off single to center field, followed by a walk to first year outfielder Aniah Glover (West Haven, Conn.), where she would then steal second base. Then, in the next at-bat, Dykema would hit a single to left field to drive in Raymond for the first run of the day for Elms. Dykema would then steal second base, and both base runners would score on the next play, when Zakaitis would hit a single to second base, and an error by the second baseman would bring Dykema across the plate, to take a 3-0 lead. In the top of the second inning, the Saints would score four runs to take the lead. In the bottom of the second, Hebert would earn a walk, but the Blazers would not be able to capitalize by regaining possession of the lead. In the third inning, Emmanuel would extend their lead further by adding five runs. Dykema would relieve Flynn in the inning, but before the end of the inning, the Saints would score a run. In the bottom half of the inning, Glover would hit a single up the middle, and Zakaitis would earn a walk, but once again be held to a scoreless inning. In the fourth and fifth innings, Dykema would record a swinging strikeout, and Glover would earn a walk, but Emmanuel would defeat Elms 11-3 to sweep the Blazers to begin conference play.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Dykema: a hit, a run scored, a run batted-in, and a walk at the plate, with a stolen base, and would pitch two and ⅔ innings with a strikeout.

• Flynn: a walk at the plate, and would pitch two and ⅓ innings with two strikeouts.

• Zakaitis: two runs batted-in, a hit, and a walk at the plate, and would pitch to begin the first game.

• Hebert: a walk at the plate, and would pitch five innings with four strikeouts

• Raymond: a hit and a run scored.

• Glover: a run scored, a hit, and two walks, with a stolen base.

UP NEXT: The Elms Softball team will host Bay Path University in a non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday, March 25th at 3 & 5 pm at Cheryl R. Condon Field.

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