Softball (14-18, 5-7) Splits Six Games, Approaching NEWMAC Tournament Berth

The Wheaton College softball team went 3-3 last week, including 3-1 in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play in an effort to secure a tournament berth. The Lyons dropped a Tuesday doubleheader at home against regionally-ranked Eastern Connecticut State University, 6-4 and 9-1 in six innings, before sweeping Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), 9-1 in six innings and 11-1 in five innings on Friday in Norton. On Saturday, Wheaton dropped the front end of a NEWMAC twinbill at Smith College, 9-0 in five innings before regrouping for a 6-0 win. The Lyons enter the final week of league play sitting sixth in the nine-team conference, as each of the top six teams qualifies for the double-elimination NEWMAC Tournament.

Against Eastern Connecticut State, which was ranked second in the region by the New England Intercollegiate Softball Coaches Association (NEISCA), a Wheaton comeback in the opener fell short despite the Lyons turning a triple play. With runners on first and second and no one out in the fifth inning, sophomore Katy Salka (Ayer, MA/Ayer) caught a soft pop-up and tossed toward second base to classmate Marissa Hobocan (Shelton, CT/Saint Joseph), who tagged the bag and fired to senior first baseman Stacey Kelleher (Brockton, MA/Brockton) to get the final out. Kelleher later drilled a two-run homer in the seventh to make it a two-run game, as the team's three seniors combined to go 7-for-10 and collect all but two of the team's hits. Kelleher finished 2-for-4, classmate Lynn Cotto (Brookfield, CT/Brookfield) was 3-for-3, and senior Brady Benton (Concord, NH/Concord) went 2-for-3 with two runs. Freshman Mary Fay (Stoughton, MA/Cardinal Spellman) suffered the defeat before junior Andrea Bagley (Foxboro, MA/Foxboro) provided three innings of scoreless relief. In the nightcap, Salka roped a double and scored on a Fay groundout for the Lyons' lone run. Bagley took the loss.

Wheaton scored in nine of 10 innings versus MIT, against which the Lyons extended their winning streak to 35 contests. Freshman Amanda Poplaski (North Reading, MA/North Reading) was 3-for-3 with two runs, two stolen bases and a triple in the opener, Kelleher finished 2-for-2 with two RBI, sophomore Kristen Hunt (Milford, CT/Jonathan Law) went 2-for-3 with two runs, and Benton added two hits, including a walk-off single in the sixth. Bagley fired six innings of three-hit ball, striking out eight, before also tossing a complete game in the nightcap, yielding three knocks in five frames with four strikeouts. In that contest, Hunt was 3-for-3 with two runs and two RBI, sophomore Rachel Merrick (Methuen, MA/Central Catholic) finished 3-for-3 with three runs, freshman Valerie Tratner (Forest Hills, NY/Saint Francis Prep) was 2-for-3, Salka drove in two runs, and Hobocan scored twice.

At Smith, freshman Emily O'Connell (Kennebunk, ME/Kennebunk) smacked her first two collegiate hits while scoring the go-ahead run in the fifth inning, and Fay spun six shutout frames to help the Lyons win game two and salvage a split. In her first career start, O'Connell finished 2-for-3 with two runs, Benton went 2-for-3 with two RBI, while Kelleher and Merrick added two hits apiece. Fay yielded only three hits before giving way to freshman Lesley Warn (Portland, ME/Deering), who tossed a one-hit seventh. In the opener, Benton doubled for one of the Lyons' five hits, and Bagley took the loss.

With five hit by pitches this season, Poplaski is tied for third in program history, while Hobocan is tied for third in sacrifice bunts (13), as the top two sac totals belong to assistant coach Jill D'Arcy '01.

Benton is eighth in program history in career home runs (14), while Kelleher is 10th (10). Kelleher is also fifth in times hit by a pitch (7) and tied for ninth in doubles (32), and Poplaski is tied for 10th in times hit by a pitch. Bagley is fourth in strikeouts (198), sixth in pitching appearances (61), seventh in innings pitched (276.2), and eighth in wins (24) and complete games (28).