Softball Drops a Pair in Florida

CLERMONT, Fla. (March 14, 2022) – The Western New England Softball team faced two tough losses today, first against Millikin University for a final score of 13-1 in five innings. They ended the day with a very close battle loss against Washington College in eight innings for a final score of 6-5.

Game 1: Millikin University 13, Western New England 1

The ball game started with Millikin picking up two runs in the top of the first while the Golden Bears had two straight strikeouts and picked up a third out immediately after in the bottom of the inning. In the top of the second, Millikin scored on six more runs with only three hits. The Golden Bears Pitcher Kayli Rosenkrans relieved Megan Beebe, but the change up did not affect Millikin. In the Bottom of the second, there was still very little play by WNE, another quick three outs. Millikin was up 8-0 entering the top of the third. Both teams had three quick outs. The Golden Bears finally got a run in the bottom of the fourth where Kailey Carrano hit one into left field for a double to collect an RBI while Dina DiBlasio ran to home plate. There was not much that the Golden Bears could do to comeback in the game. In the top of the fifth, Millikin was unstoppable. They went for five more runs. Emilia Garcia relieved Rosenkrans to close out the top of the inning. The Golden Bears went three for three on outs again in the bottom for the end of the ball game, Millikin 13, Western New England 1.

Inside The Diamond:

• Western New England was led by DiBlasio who went 1-2 and had one run.
• Carrano also went 1-2 for the Golden Bears and recorded the only RBI for the team on the game.
• Western New England scored one run in two hits on the game, giving up 13 runs in nine hits.

Game 2: Washington College 6, Western New England 5

The top and the bottom of the first inning were identical for the two teams battling it out. They both had four batters up for bat and three outs, no runs. In the top of the second, Cori Rizzo hit a SAC for Paige Baca to advance to second and Lizzie Weston to advance to third. Ines Baez Flores recorded an RBI on a ball that was grounded out by the short stop, and Weston advanced home on the throw to give them a 1-0 lead to the Golden Bears. The bottom of the inning, Millikin's first up to bat reached first base on an error by the pitcher, but then they were grounded out, a fly ball was caught at second base, and then struck out looking. The third inning was like the first, three outs in four batters for both teams, and no runs in the fourth.

The top of the Fifth was loaded with action for the Golden Bears. Up to bat was Amaya George knocked one into center field to advance to first. Kaleigh Blades was then hit by the pitcher. With someone on first and second, and no outs, Taylor Keegan collected an RBI on a single down the middle for George to run home, and Blades to second base. She tried to sneak to third but was out from a throw from center field to third base. Dina DiBlasio up to bat, singled to right field, and Keegan took third. Kaley Carrano added another RBI to her collection on the week that brought Keegan to home plate and DiBlasio to advance before WNE received their last pair of outs to put the score at 3-0. Trying to close the gap on the game, Washington College put up two hits and one run in the bottom of the fifth to bring the score to 3-1.

The top of the sixth brought another quick set of outs for the Golden Bears, while Washington pounded a homerun over center field, with only one out, and recorded two RBIs to bring the score to a tie at 3-3. Megan Beebe came into relieve Ava Blanchard at pitcher and picked up two outs. With the score all tied up at the top of the seventh, the Golden Bears were grounded out twice, one caught fly ball, and no runs. Washington also had no action in the bottom of the inning which brought the game to the eighth. WNE quickly got two RBIs in the top of the eighth, one from DiBlasio and another one from Weston, to put two more tallies on the board and bring the Golden Bears up 5-3. With the bases loaded, Gracie Hemstock pinched hit for Rizzo, but Carrano got out running to home plate and then Weston was knocked out at home, as well. The last out came from a swing that was grounded out. Washington went for three straight RBIs, four hits and three runs, with no outs to mount the last inning comeback and take the win for a final score of 6-5.

Around The Diamond:

• Western New England's Dina DiBlasio and Lizzie Weston went 3-4 in the second game of the day, recorded one RBI, and one run.
• Starting pitcher Ava Blanchard pitched in 5.1 innings and allowed seven hits, and three runs, and recorded four strikeouts. Relief pitcher Megan Beebe in 1.2 inning allowed four hits and three runs and recorded one strikeout.
• Western New England scored five runs in 12 hits on the game, giving up six runs on 11 hits.

Up Next:

• The Golden Bears return to action this Wednesday, March 16, where they will face off with North Central College-Ill. at 11:30 a.m., and Rhodes College at 1:45 p.m. at the Sleepy Hallow Sports Complex.
• Millikin University will face Stockton University at 11:00 a.m. and University of New England at 1:00 p.m. tomorrow, March 15. Washington College is schedule to play Oswego State University at 4:00 p.m. and Knox College at 6:15 p.m. tomorrow, March 15.