Softball Rebounds to Earn Shutout Wednesday

CLERMONT, Fla. – Regis College quickly rebounded from an 8-4 loss to Elizabethtown College, shutting out Rosemont College, 4-0, Wednesday as the Pride continued their Florida series of games Wednesday at the Legends Way Field Complex.

Regis 4, Rosemont 0

For the first time this season, Regis did not score in the first inning, but the Pride still scored first for the sixth straight time. In the top of the second inning, Diana Petrarca (Coventry, R.I.) led off with a single, and Nikki Papadopoulos (Coventry, Conn.) followed with a single up the middle. Brianna Page (New Boston, N.H.) laced a pitch down the left field line for a double, driving in both Petrarca and Papadopoulos to give Regis a 2-0 lead.

With two outs in the top of the third inning, Ellery Rasmussen (Kingston, N.H.) hit one over the wall in left field for a home run, her second of the day, to increase the Pride lead to 3-0. Meanwhile, Madi McLellan (Fremont, N.H.) faced just one Raven batter over the minimum through the first 3 2/3 innings before Rosemont loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the fourth, but McLellan induced a popout to end the scoring threat.

The Pride added an insurance run in the seventh inning as Erin Murphy (Bedford, N.H.) led off with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Kayla Morrill (Lynn, Mass.) laced a double to left-center field, driving in Murphy with Regis' fourth run of the game.

McLellan retired the Ravens in order in the fifth and sixth innings and picked up a strikeout and a flyout to start the bottom of the seventh. Rosemont started a two-out rally with a walk and a single, but Emma Kelly (Lynnfield, Mass.) made a diving catch on a sinking line drive for the third out of the inning, preserving the shutout.

The senior pitcher allowed just five hits and one walk as she notched the 28^th complete game of her career. McLellan threw 106 pitches, 71 of them for strikes, as she collected seven strikeouts during the afternoon.  

Elizabethtown 8, Regis 4

For the fifth time in as many games, Regis scored in the first inning, as Andria Braga (Rehoboth, Mass.) led off with a single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, and then took third on a wild pitch. Rasmussen sent a blast over the wall in left-center field for the team's first home run of the season, giving the Pride a 2-0 lead.

Lindsey Fasolo led off the second inning with a solo home run to cut the Regis lead in half. In the third inning, Grace Hussey sent a single to right-center field, stole second base, and scored on a two-out single by Kaitlyn Witmer. Fasolo followed with a double to right-center field, driving in Witmer to put the Blue Jays ahead, 3-2.

The Pride put together a two-out rally in the bottom of the third, as Morrill and Rasmussen earned consecutive singles to put runners on first and third. Rasmussen took off for second base, and Morrill took advantage of the catcher's throw by coming home for a successful double steal, tying the game at 3-3.

Elizabethtown (3-4) took the lead for good in the fourth inning, starting with three consecutive singles capped by an RBI single from Vanessa Boop. After a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third, Ashley Mistichelli sent a single up the middle, scoring Courtney Fitzsimons and Boop to increase the Blue Jay lead to 6-3.

In the bottom of the fourth, Alex Page (New Boston, N.H.) led off by drawing a walk, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, and came around to score on a single to center field by Ciara Collins (Lynn, Mass.). However, the Blue Jays pulled away by scoring single runs in the sixth and seventh innings while holding the Pride to two baserunners in the final three innings.

Alyssa Ward (Webster, Mass.) started for Regis, allowing nine hits and six runs while striking out four batters. Paige Phillips pitched a complete game for the Blue Jays, giving up six hits, two walks, and four runs with three strikeouts.

Regis College (2-4) concludes its Spring Break trip with two games Thursday, March 5, first taking on Houghton at 10 a.m. before facing Rose-Hulman at 12:30 p.m. Both games will take place at the Hancock Recreational Complex.