Jaclyn Jayo, Washington College
Washington College 11, Utica 6
Washington College snapped a 6-6 with five runs in the top half of the ninth inning to down Utica, 11-6, in the first round of the NCAA Division III Softball Tournament at Kostrinsky Field on the campus of Ithaca College. The Shorewomen, seeded seventh in the Ithaca Regional, win in their first-ever game in the NCAA Tournament and improve to 27-17 on the year, while the Pioneers, the two seed in the regional, fall to 33-13. With the victory, the Shorewomen will play third seed Lebanon Valley (33-5-1) tomorrow afternoon at 4:00 p.m. in a winner's bracket game.
In the top of the ninth inning with the score tied 6-6, Washington freshman third baseman Jaclyn Jayo (Peoria, AZ/Liberty) netted a leadoff single through the left side and then scored from first on a double to left-center by junior first baseman Lauren Dockrill (San Diego, CA/Cathedral Catholic) that reached the outfield fence to give WC a 7-6 lead. The double gave Dockrill the Centennial Conference record for career two-baggers with 46. Two batters later, sophomore pitcher Kristin Cooper (Georgetown, DE/Sussex Central) singled to shallow right to score Dockrill from third to make it 8-6. The next hitter, freshman left fielder Clare Hofstedt (Severna Park, MD/Severna Park) tripled to right-center score sophomore designated player Suzanne Patinella (Fallston, MD/Maryvale Prep) and Cooper to give Washington a 10-6 advantage with nobody out. With one out, Hofstedt would score on a groundout to third base by freshman centerfielder Paige Briganti (Severna Park, MD/Severna Park) to give the Shorewomen a 11-6 lead and that would be the score going to the bottom of the ninth.
Meghan Matan led off the last of the ninth for Utica with a single up the middle, but Cooper got Plummer to fly out to Hofstedt down the left field line for the first out. After a single up the middle by Courtney Fitzgerald, the next batter, Mallory Ingalls hit into a 5-5-3 double play started by Jayo to end the game.
Washington broke onto the scoreboard in the top of the first inning with two outs when Dockrill singled up the middle to plate junior catcher Kylie Nottingham (Ocean City, MD/Stephen Decatur) from second base to put the Shorewomen ahead 1-0. Washington strung together three straight hits with two outs to produce the run.
The Pioneers tied it up in the bottom of the first when with one out, Matan scored on a fielding error by the Shorewomen to knot the contest at 1-1. Utica made it 3-1 when with two outs Ingalls launched a two-run home run over the left field fence to also plate Plummer.
The Shorewomen retook the lead with a three-spot in the top half of the second to grab a 4-3 lead. The Shorewomen cut the lead to 3-2 with one away when Briganti singled up the middle to chase home freshman pinch-runner Jennifer Hanner (Lancaster, PA/Penn Manor). With two away, Washington loaded the bases and Jayo hit a two-run single into right field that just glanced off the glove of Utica's Taylor Ellis to plate both Briganti and senior right fielder Lindsey Glascock (Glenwood, MD/Glenelg) to put the Shorewomen back on top at 4-3. Washington attempted to tack on more runs, but Utica's Dominique Carcone robbed Dockrill of her second hit of the game on a sliding stop in the hole at shortstop and fired to Chelsea Monroe at second to force Jayo at the bag.
Washington netted a pair of runs to take a 6-3 lead in the top of the third. Sophomore designated player Suzanne Patinella (Fallston, MD/Maryvale Prep) scored on a fielding error by the Pioneers to put the Shorewomen ahead 5-3 with one away and with two outs, Briganti dropped a single to center to plate freshman outfielder Clare Hofstedt (Severna Park, MD/Severna Park) from second to put WC up by three runs.
The Pioneers had runners on second and third with one out, but Cooper struck out Cassie Smith looking for out number two and Carcone to fly out to Briganti in shallow center for the third out to end the threat and kept WC's lead at 6-3. Utica also got the first two runners on in the bottom half of the fourth, but failed to score as Washington got a fielder's choice, fly out and ground out to keep the Pioneers off the board in the fourth. The Shorewomen got a runner to third base with two outs in the top of the sixth, but Utica pitcher Erica Colucci got Dockrill to fly out to left to keep the game at 6-3.
In the bottom of the sixth, Utica got the first two on via singles by Carcone and Ellis to put runners on first and second with nobody out and Christy Traglia loaded the bases when she was hit by a pitch. Chelsea Monroe tied the game when she cleared the bases on a double down the left field line that was just fair to tie the game at 6-6. However Cooper was able to retire the next three hitters in order on a foul pop out to Dockrill, fly ball to Briganti in right-center and a groundout to junior shortstop Claire Mattox (Arlington, VA/Potomac School) to keep the game tied.
Mattox led off the top half of the eighth on a fielding error and took second base and moved to third when Briganti dropped a successful bunt single down the third base line. Briganti would steal second to put runners at second and third with nobody out. Utica turned a double play when Glascock lined out to third and Mahan doubled off Mattox at third base to complete the double play. The Pioneers got out of the inning unscathed when on Kylie Nottingham's swing the ball hit her outside the batter's box for the third out. Cooper retired Utica in order in the last of the eighth to keep the game tied 6-6.
Jayo was 4-for-5 with two RBI as the team had 18 hits and her four hits led all players. Briganti went 3-for-6 with three RBI, while Hofstedt was 2-for-5 with three RBI and two runs. Dockrill was 2-for-5 with two RBI, including the game-winning RBI on a double in the top of the ninth. Glascock had a pair of hits for Washington. In the circle, Cooper tossed the last eight innings in relief to get the win and improves to 14-8. She scattered nine hits, gave up three earned runs, walked one and fanned five.
For Utica, which had 11 hits, Ingalls was 2-for-5 with two RBI, while Monroe knocked in three. Ellis recorded a pair of hits for the Pioneers. Pitching wise, Colucci took the loss and falls to 5-3. She went six innings in relief.
Washington and Lebanon Valley have played 17 times over the years, but have not played since 1995 when the Shorewomen swept a doubleheader from the Dutchmen winning 4-3 and 9-7. Lebanon Valley leads the all-time series 13-4.
The Shorewomen's win today marked the first-ever victory by any Washington College women's team in NCAA Tournament play.