Softball Drops Pair in Spring Games Opener in Florida
Links: Box Score (G1) | Box Score (G2)
CLERMONT, Fla. – Playing a pair of quality teams in their first day at the Dot Richardson Spring Games in Clermont, Florida, the Merrimack College softball team would fall in its first two games of their six day stretch down south against Wayne State (Mich.) and Bemidji State on Thursday.
The Basics
Score (G1): Wayne State 12, Merrimack 1
Score (G1): Bemidji State 2, Merrimack 0
Records: Merrimack (2-8) | Wayne State (17-3) | Bemidji State (15-5)
Location: National Training Center | Clermont, Florida
How It Happened (G1)
The Warriors knew they were in for some stiff competition in their first game of 11 during their trip to Florida, as Wayne State entered Thursday's contest with a 16-3 record and the 35th-best team batting average in the nation. Junior captain Haley Currie (Burlington, Mass.) would get the start on the mound for Merrimack, holding Wayne State to just one unearned run into the fourth inning, but a three-run homer in the fourth would put Wayne State out in front 4-0.
Merrimack was unable to respond in the bottom of the fourth and headed to the fifth inning trailing by four. Wayne State would work the bases loaded in the fifth inning. A ball hit in foul territory would be caught by junior Kaleigh Finigan (Medford, Mass.) for the out, but she would step in a dead ball area to advance the runners, making the score 5-0. A pass ball would stretch the lead to 6-0 heading to the bottom of the fifth.
The first two batters for the Warriors would reach on an error in the fifth, with senior Brittany Razo (Anaheim, Calif.) then bunting them over a base with the sacrifice. Junior Tamarra Crowe (North Bend, Wash.) followed that with a groundout to third to score the runner and put Merrimack on the board. The sixth inning would go by scoreless for both teams, with Wayne State then piling on six runs in the seventh to claim a 12-1 victory.
How It Happened (G2)
Despite a strong outing from sophomore pitcher Courtney Zambello (Sharon, Mass.), the Warriors were unable to squeak out a win in their second game of the day, falling 2-0 to Bemidji State. Zambello pitched a strong first three scoreless innings, including a strikeout and groundout with runners on first and third to keep Bemidji off the board.
Bemidji would take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning after the leadoff batter reached base, followed by a sacrifice and a line drive up the middle to knock in the runner. The Warriors would go down in order in the top of the fifth inning, and a solo homerun for Bemidji in the bottom of the inning would extend their lead to 2-0. A nice 1-5-3 double play would end the inning for the Warriors.
The final two innings would go by scoreless with Bemidji leaving two runners stranded in the bottom of the sixth to give the Warriors some momentum headed to the final inning. But Merrimack would struggle to put the ball in play as they fell in their second game in Florida, 2-0.
Up Next
The Warriors are back at it against Wayne State tomorrow in Florida at 1:00 p.m., followed by a doubleheader with Bridgeport that starts at 5:00 p.m.
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