Pride Softball Splits Doubleheader with Lesley

REVERE, Mass. – Regis College split a non-conference collegiate softball doubleheader with Lesley University Tuesday at Griswold Park, winning the second game, 9-6, after losing the first game, 8-5.

GAME TWO: REGIS 9, LESLEY 6

In the top of the first inning, the Pride loaded the bases with one out when Andria Braga (Rehoboth, Mass.) singled, Diana Petrarca (Coventry, R.I.) drew a walk, and Sarah Fawcett (Londonderry, N.H.) reached on an error. Kayla Morrill (Lynn, Mass.) would hit a double to left-center field, scoring Braga and Petrarca to give Regis the early lead.

The Lynx scored one run in the bottom of the first to cut their deficit in half, but Regis put together a five-run third inning, taking advantage of a walk, a hit batter, two errors, and a wild pitch to score the first two runs of the inning. Bianca Burke (Cambridge, Mass.) hit a triple that scored Sarah Monahan (North Andover, Mass.) and Bri Page (New Boston, N.H.), and Braga followed with a double that brought home Burke to increase the Pride lead to 7-1.

After a solo home run by Jordan Day in the bottom of the third, Regis scored again in the fifth inning as Petrarca drew a bases loaded walk. Lesley would close to within two in the bottom of the fifth thanks to a grand slam home run by Lindsey Jensen.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, singles by Jess O'Neill and Mahlia Medina put runners on the corners with one out. Petrarca came on in relief of Regis starter Kate McGrath (Boston, Mass.) and induced two flyouts to end the Lynx scoring threat. Back-to-back doubles by Abby Erickson (Worcester, Mass.) and Braga added an insurance run in the top of the seventh, and Petrarca overcame two one-out walks with consecutive strikeouts to end the game and earn her first career save.

McGrath earned her third victory of the season, allowing eight hits, two walks, and six runs while striking out four batters. Braga hit 3-for-5 with a run scored and two RBI, Erickson finished with two hits in the game, and Petrarca drew three walks.

GAME ONE: LESLEY 8, REGIS 5

Braga led off the first game with a single, followed by a single by Petrarca and a walk from Fawcett to load the bases with one out. After a sacrifice fly by Morrill drove in Braga, Ciara Collins (Lynn, Mass.) hit a single to right field to bring home Petrarca and Fawcett.

Lesley (8-6) quickly came back in the bottom of the first inning and tied the game with three runs on four hits. The Lynx would take the lead on a two-run double by Day in the bottom of the second, but the Pride would close to within one at 5-4 in the top of the third inning as Collins drove in Petrarca with a double to left-center field.

The Lynx took advantage of two Regis errors to score three runs in the bottom of the third inning to extend their lead to 8-4. In the top of the fourth inning, Erin Murphy (Bedford, N.H.) was hit by a pitch, advanced to third base on two wild pitches, and scored when Lesley committed an error on a ball hit by Petrarca.

Collins and Reilly Jewett (Norton, Mass.) hit singles in the fifth inning and eventually advanced to second and third with two outs, but Day prevented them from scoring on the way to her fifth victory of the season. Colby Butterfield (Gilford, N.H.) started for the Pride and pitched the first three innings before Jilian Glynn (Londonderry, N.H.) came on in relief.

Petrarca and Collins each went 3-for-4 to lead the Pride offensively, with Petrarca scoring twice and Collins driving in three runs.

Regis College (6-15) returns to conference play Thursday, April 14, by hosting Dean College in a doubleheader starting at 5 p.m.