Ferriouolo Uncorks Grand Slam to Lift WNE over Franklin and Marshall to Split Day 4

Clermont, Fla. (March 14, 2023) – The Golden Bears took the field for another two games in Clermont, Florida. The team lost a heartbreaker in the seventh inning versus Bowdoin by a score of 6-5. However, they bounced back with a big 9-1 win in five innings against Franklin and Marshall.

Game 1: Bowdoin 6, Western New England 5 

Riley Kane was in the pitcher's circle for game 1 of the day. Lizzie Weston would start behind the plate. The game started quickly as Gracie Hemstock grounded out but drove home the first run to put WNE up 1-0 early. Cori Rizzo would follow that up with a hit ruled an error by the shortstop. DiBlasio would score on that play and put the Golden Bears up 2-0. The bottom of the first saw another run in the inning. Katryna Dukehart reached base on a fielder's. Lilly Armstrong scored on the play to cut the WNE lead to one. The Golden Bears got that run back and more in the second inning. Dina DiBlasio slapped a single to right field, which brought Brianna Floyd home and put them up 3-1. Hemstock got her second RBI of the day on a single to center. Alex Ferriouolo would score on the play to bring the WNE lead to 4-1. Kane would keep the score the same in the bottom of the second, but Bowdoin would chip into the lead in the third. Dukehart hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the third. That would put the score at 4-3. 

The runs kept coming for Bowdoin in the fifth as Cloe Garcia hit a triple to right field, bringing home Dukehart. Halliday followed that up with a single to right field that scored Garcia. Bowdoin took their first lead of the game, 5-4. Dina DiBlasio answered for the Golden Bears in the top of the sixth. DiBlasio smacked a double to center. That brought Keegan past the plate and tied the game at five. However, after a scoreless bottom of the sixth and top of the seventh, Bowdoin would get the final run. Angelina Mayers was the first batter in the bottom of the seventh inning and turned on a pitch. The ball flew over the right field fence, giving Bowdoin the win, 6-5.

Inside The Diamond:

• Dina DiBlasio went 3-4 with a double and two RBIs for the Golden Bears.
• Taylor Keegan and Brianna Floyd both went 2-4 in the game.
• The Golden Bears let up six runs on seven hits.
• The Polar Bears let up five runs on nine hits.
• The Polar Bears defeated the Golden Bears 6-5.

Game 2: Western New England 9, Franklin & Marshall 1

The Golden Bears looked to bounce back from their tough defeat earlier in the day. After an unearned run by the Franklin & Marshall Diplomats when Devon Witt reached home on a wild pitch, the Golden Bears roared to life. It started in the bottom of the second when a wild pitch brought Gracie Hemstock home. Then, Alex Ferriouolo uncorked a grand slam over the center field fence in the bottom of the third. That grand slam scored Madison Mason, Dina DiBlasio, and Gracie Hemstock. It put the Golden Bears up 5-1. The bottom of the fourth inning saw more runs roll in. Brianna Floyd added another hit to her day with a double down the left-field line. Ines Baez Flores came home on that hit. Then, Kailey Carrano drew a walk next. That brought Floyd home. Finally, Madison Mason would reach first on an error by the Diplomats. That would bring Alyssa Poisson and Dina DiBlasio home. The game was called after the fifth inning, and the final score saw the Golden Bears win 9-1. 

Around The Diamond:

• Ava Blanchard got the start and the win. She faced 15 batters and only let up three hits and no earned runs while getting four strikeouts.
• Alex Ferriouolo went 2-3 with a home run and four RBIs.
• Brianna Floyd went 1-2 with a double and an RBI.
• Emilia Garcia came in for one inning of relief and sat down the diplomats one, two, three.
• The Golden Bears beat the Diplomats 9-1.

Up Next: The Golden Bears will take a one-day hiatus from games and retake the field on Thursday, March 14, when they take on Mount St. Mary (N.Y.) at 2:00 PM and Edgewood at 4:30 PM.

Bowdoin will take on Marywood University on Thursday at 9:00 AM and finish their trip to Florida with a game against Ohio Wesleyan University at 11:30 AM.

Franklin & Marshall will be back on Thursday, as well. They will take on Geneseo at 9:00 AM and Springfield at 11:30 AM.