Softball Clinches Spot in NE10 Championships with 8-0 Win over Stonehill

Links: Box Score | Highlights | Alyssa Williamson's Postgame 

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass.  – The Merrimack College softball team will return to the NE10 Championship for the third straight year, after downing Stonehill on Monday afternoon, 8-0, in Northeast Divisional play in Northeast-10 Conference action at Martone-Mejail Field. The Warriors sit third in the division after today's win and a loss by Assumption earlier today.

NE10 Postseason Outlook
The top-four programs in the division standings advance to the NE10 Championship, with the second seed receiving a first-round bye and the top seed automatically advancing to the NE10 Semifinals. The top seed in the Southeast Division will host all NE10 Championship games. Assumption has divisional five games left, while Merrimack, Saint Anselm and Southern N.H. each have four remaining. All of the teams below have clinched. The first round game is on Tuesday, May 1 at the three seed of each division.

Northeast Division
1. Saint Anselm (14-2)
2. Southern N.H. (11-6)
3. Merrimack (11-6)
4. Assumption (10-6)

The Basics
Score: Merrimack 8, Stonehill 0 | Final/ 6
Records: Merrimack (28-11, 15-8 NE10) | Stonehill (8-26, 7-17 NE10)
Location: Martone-Mejail Field | North Andover, Mass.
Rapid Recap

• Stonehill put pressure early in the game, stranding seven runners in the first four innings of play. Senior Megan Cook left the bases loaded fourth, getting a small dribbler to second to end the threat.
• Merrimack jumped out to the only lead of the game in the second, scoring four runs. A pair of back-to-back bases loaded walks, followed by a two-run single by senior Alyssa Williamson added more runs.
• The Warriors scored a run in each of the next three innings. It started with a one-out bomb by junior Nicole Nanof to deep center field. Classmate Emily Kurkul tripled to right center to score senior Breanna Dupuis.
• The Skyhawks threatened with two outs in the sixth, but Cook got Hannah Ricker to strikeout, for her sixth punch out of the game at that point.
• The Warriors added two runs in the sixth to end the game. A leadoff triple by Nanof started the inning, and a single by Williamson scored the junior. The Warriors then loaded the bases with no outs, with a single and a walk. Junior Kristina Terrazzano ended the game, grounding one to third, allowing the runner at third base to score.

Notes and Notables

• WP – Cook (19-3) | LP – Genna Hartman (1-9)
• Cook's Line: 6.0 IP, 8 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K
• It was Williamson's first three-RBI game of the season and sixth multi-RBI game of the year.
• Nanof knocked in her team-leading 29^th RBI of the year and her sixth long ball.
• The team had two triples in the game, the third time this season they have reached that milestone, and were walked a season-high seven times in the game.

Up Next:
Merrimack hosts Assumption tomorrow for a 4 p.m. Northeast Division clash at Martone-Mejail Field. The winner of the game takes the season series, as they split back on April 18 in Worcester.