Late Comeback Spurs Softball to Split Doubleheader at Pace Wednesday
Links: Box Score (Game 1 | Game 2)
BRIARCLIFF MANOR, N.Y. –The Merrimack College softball team posted a late comeback with a three-run sixth inning to take game two of a spilt doubleheader at Pace on Wednesday afternoon after falling in game one in Northeast-10 Conference cross-divisional action.
The Basics
Score (G1 – 6 innings): Pace 14, Merrimack 6
Score (G2): Merrimack 5, Pace 4
Records: Merrimack (20-25, 11-13 NE-10) | Pace (22-13, 15-6 NE-10)
Location: Pace Field| Briarcliff Manor, New York
NE-10 Postseason Outlook (N.E. Division)
The top-four programs in the division standings advance to the NE-10 Championship, with the top-two teams receiving a bye. The Warriors have three divisional games remaining with Saint Michael's this weekend.
1. Southern N.H. (13-4)
2. Stonehill (12-6)
3. Assumption (12-6)
4. Bentley (9-9)
5. Franklin Pierce (9-9)
6. Merrimack (8-10)
How It Happened (G1)
The Warriors would put themselves in a hole early on in game one, beginning in the second inning with a six-run frame from Pace to put Merrimack at a 6-0 deficit. Junior captain Samantha Waskowitz (Killingworth, Conn.) would look to spark the Warriors in the third, earning a gritty run after reaching on a fielder's choice, advancing to second on a groundout, stealing third and scoring on a throwing error during her steal. Her run would put Merrimack on the board, but was the only run of the inning.
Pace did not slow down in the bottom of the inning, adding another four runs in the third to take a 10-1 lead after three innings. Despite the large deficit, the Warriors would not go down easy as they came back in the fourth inning with five runs of their own cut the Setters' lead to 10-6. The five-run rally would be sparked by a three-run homer from junior Kaleigh Finigan (Medford, Mass.). That would turn into back-to-back home runs for the Warriors thanks to a solo shot from freshman Emily Kurkul (Bridgewater, Mass.) in the next at-bat. Merrimack would score another run before the fourth would come to an end.
The Warriors' five-run rally would be too little, too late, as Pace would pick up two runs in the fifth and sixth inning each, extending their lead to eight runs at 14-6, forcing the game to end early.
How It Happened (G2)
Game two at Pace would see more back-and-forth action and lower scoring than the first game of the day, which played out in Merrimack's favor in the end. The Warriors took the first lead of the game in the second inning, beginning with a single from junior Tamarra Crowe (North Bend, Wash.). Kurkul would follow with another single, advancing Crowe to third. Kurkul would get in a rundown while attempting to steal second during the next at-bat, allowing Crowe to score while Kurkul's out ended the inning.
The Warriors would retake the lead on a ground-rule RBI double from freshman Caitlin McBride (Danvers, Mass.) to put Merrimack up 2-1, rewarding a leadoff single from junior captain Haley Currie (Burlington, Mass.). But the Setters would again answer and take their first lead of the game with two runs in the bottom of the fourth to go out in front of the Warriors, 3-2.
After a scoreless fifth, the Warriors would rally in the sixth for three runs, kicked off by McBride's second ground-rule RBI double in two innings, tying the game at 3-3. A bases-loaded sacrifice fly from Kurkul later in the inning would end up scoring two runs after a muffed throw from Pace, giving Merrimack a late two-run lead.
Pace would threaten in their final at-bat in the bottom of the seventh inning, leading off with a solo home run to cut the Warriors' lead to one run at 5-4. But sophomore Courtney Zambello (Sharon, Mass.) would close out her complete game victory with three straight outs, including a game-ending strikeout.
Inside The Numbers
- The Warriors cross-divisional games with Pace do not affect their playoff outlook, while Bentley's divisional victory Wednesday puts them one game ahead of the Warriors. Their game two win, however, gives them their third 20-win season in the last five.
- Kurkul's day at the plate: 3-for-5, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI. Her homer Wednesday s her fourth of the season, which is tied for second on the team with fellow rookie McBride, and is her third homerun in her last eight games.
- Junior Mariah Tenney (Winchendon, Mass.) added another stolen base to her season total on Wednesday, improving that number to an NE-10-leading 23. She is seven shy of her school record of 30, set last season, with four games remaing.
Up Next
The Warriors host St. Michael's for four games this weekend, including three big NE-10 divisional games. Friday's doubleheader begins at 3:00 p.m., while Saturday will serve as Senior Day for the Warriors with a scheduled noon start.
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