Pride Softball Drops Thursday Games in Florida

CLERMONT, Fla. - Regis College lost to New England College and Elizabethtown College Thursday as The Spring Games continued at the Legends Way Field Complex.

NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE 10, REGIS 3 

New England College (2-4) threatened to score in each of the first three innings, but the Pilgrims stranded two runners in scoring position in both the first and second innings and left the bases loaded in the third inning. Meanwhile, Regis put runners on first and third in the bottom of the third inning thanks to singles by Grace Motto (Wareham, Mass.) and Bianca Burke (Cambridge, Mass.), but the Pilgrims turned an inning-ending double play to keep the game scoreless. 

In the fourth inning, NEC finally broke through with five runs, starting with a leadoff walk to Julia Maker, who eventually scored on a sacrifice fly hit by Grace Giesler. Emma Lopez drove in two runs with a single to left field, and then the Pilgrims scored single runs on a double steal and a Regis fielding error.

Regis broke through in the bottom of the fourth when Jaylene Deslauriers (Taunton, Mass.) singled to right field, stole second base, and came around to score on a NEC throwing error. The Pride took advantage of consecutive errors by the Pilgrims in the fifth inning, putting two runners on base before Mel Rees (Middleborough, Mass.) laced a double into right-center field to bring Regis within two runs at 5-3.

New England College pulled away with a single run in the sixth inning and four runs in the seventh inning. Pilgrim starter Olivia Olson finished her complete game as she allowed six hits, one walk, and three unearned runs while striking out three batters.

Abigail Grimes led the Pilgrim offense by going 4-for-5 with three runs scored and one RBI, while Lopez went 3-for-5 with a run scored and two RBI. Motto finished 2-for-3 to lead the Pride offense.

ELIZABETHTOWN 10, REGIS 2

Elizabethtown (3-3) jumped on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second inning with five runs, loading the bases with one out before Riley Nolan drove in Maddie Reever with a sacrifice fly to center field. The big hit was a two-run double down the left field line by Kristen Aydelotte that scored both Hannah Long and Brooke Huczko.

The Pride broke through in the top of the fourth inning as Delauriers hit a triple to left-center field and came in to score on a Blue Jay fielding error. The Blue Jays responded with five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, including a two-run triple by Aydelotte, RBI singles for Kassidy Kehoe and Emily Polimeni, and an RBI double for Reever.

With two outs in the top of the fifth inning, Burke raced down the first base line for an infield single and came around to score when Lexi Nichols (Granby, Conn.) sent a shot over the centerfielder's head for a triple. However, Elizabethtown pitched Mikaela Benner induced a popout to end the game as she earned the victory with six strikeouts in five innings of work.

Regis College (0-8) concludes its stay in Florida with games against Illinois College at 9:45 a.m. and Calvin at 12:15 p.m. Friday, March 8, at the Fortune Road Field Complex in Kissimmee, Fla.