Softball Scores 11 Runs in Game Two to Highlight Doubleheader Split with Stonehill
Links: Box Score (Game 1 | Game 2)
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – After having its six-game win streak snapped in extra innings in game one of a doubleheader, the Merrimack College softball team responded by piling on runs in game two and ending the game early due to the mercy rule as the Warriors split a pair of games with Northeast-10 Conference divisional foe Stonehill on Wednesday evening.
The Basics
Score (G1 – 12 innings): Stonehill 6, Merrimack 4
Score (G2 – 5 innings): Merrimack 11, Stonehill 3
Records: Merrimack (16-20, 9-8 NE-10) | Stonehill (17-12, 13-4 NE-10)
Location: Warrior Softball Diamond | North Andover, Massachusetts
How It Happened (G1)
Despite game one taking 12 innings and nearly going the same amount as two games, 80% of the runs scored in the game would be seen before the game hit the fourth inning. Merrimack took a 1-0 lead in the first after a hard hit grounder from freshman Caitlin McBride (Danvers, Mass.) would sneak between the third baseman's legs and score junior captain Samantha Waskowitz (Killingworth, Conn.) who made it home from second after advancing on an error.
Merrimack extended that lead in the bottom of the second as early singles from junior Kaleigh Finigan (Medford, Mass.) and freshman Nicole Nanof (Goffstown, N.H.) put runners on first and third. Junior Mariah Tenney (Winchendon, Mass.) would ground out to the right side to score Finigan from third, followed by a Waskowitz single in the next at-bat to score Nanof and stretch the lead to 3-0 after two.
Stonehill would begin the top of the third by beating out back-to-back bunts for singles to put the first two runners on. Yet another single with one out would load the bases, and Stonehill's Alison Sumski, the NE-10's fourth-leading home run hitter, would put the Skyhawks up 4-3 with one swing, hitting a grand slam to take the lead. Merrimack quickly tied the game back up at 4-4 in the bottom of the inning, as a leadoff double from McBride would turn into a run for the Warriors after a groundout and an error.
The game would head to the fourth inning tied at 4-4, and would remain at that score for the next eight innings as neither side would find a way to sneak in a run until the 12th inning. The Skyahwks finally broke the games' run drought in the top of the 12th with an RBI triple followed by a sacrifice bunt to take a 6-4 lead, from which the Warriors would be unable to climb back in the bottom of the inning.
How It Happened (G2)
Knowing every divisional game holds extreme importance as April begins to wind down, the Warriors came out strong in the second game. Merrimack picked up two hits in the first inning but was unable to score before plating three runs on three hits in the second inning. A leadoff double from freshman Emily Kurkul (Bridgewater, Mass.) would get things started in the inning followed by a great bunt from junior Morgan Phipps (Melrose, Mass.) that she would beat out for a single, putting runners on first and third. Kurkul would score on a groundout to the right side, followed by Phipps scoring on a ball hit deep by Waskowitz that was misplayed for the right fielder. Freshman Hannah Johnson (Middleboro, Mass.) knocked in Waskowitz with a single for the third run of the inning.
After seven batters coming to the plate in the second inning for Merrimack, Kurkul would find herself back at the dish with two outs in the third inning. The freshman would blast her second home run of the season to deep left center to extend Merrimack's lead to 4-0. That lead would again be extended to 6-0 in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI double from Waskwotiz and Johnson's second RBI of the game on a ground out.
Sophomore Courtney Zambello (Sharon, Mass.) pitched exceptionally for Merrimack through the first four innings, allowing just one hit to Stonehill in that span. The Skyhawks started finding the gaps in the fifth, recording three runs on four hits to cut Merrimack's lead to 6-3. Sophomore Megan Cook (Bellingham, Mass.) would be brought in for the final out of the inning, needing just two pitches to get Merrimack to the plate.
Needing a hefty five runs to reach the mercy rule of an eight run lead after five innings, the Warriors, with some help of the Skyhawks in the field, would do just that as they scored five on just two hits to end the game early. The Navy and Gold played outstanding small-ball in the fifth, as a pair of infield singles and walks and a steal would rattle Stonehill, recording two errors on two separate plays that were directly responsible for three of Merrimack's runs. A sacrifice fly from junior captain Haley Currie (Burlington, Mass.) would score the fifth and final run of the inning and end the game, picking up a huge win for the Warriors.
Inside The Numbers
- The Warriors' loss in game on is their first loss in seven games and just their second loss in the last 12 games, as Merrimack is 10-2 in the month of April. They currently sit fourth in the Northeast Division of the NE-10, and will finish the season series with Stonehill, who sits second, next week.
- Kurkul's day at the plate: 3-3, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI. The freshman is one of only four Warriors with multiple home runs this season (2), while one of the other three is also a freshman in McBride.
- After recording her first-career multi-RBI game on Tuesday against Bentely, Johnson record her second-career multi-RBI game the very next day, as she knocked in two runs in the Warriors' win Wednesday to put her at four RBI on the season.
- McBride had her impressive 10-game hit streak snapped in game two of the day against Stonehill, while Currie extended her hit streak to 12 games on Wednesday.
Up Next
The Warriors will travel to Bentley on Thursday afternoon for their third and fourth games with the Falcons in three days looking to pick up another big NE-10 divisional win beginning at 3:00 p.m.
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