NEW LONDON, Conn. -- The Wheaton College (Mass.) softball team fell in 10 innings at host United States Coast Guard Academy, 10-9, this afternoon in game one of a New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference twinbill at the Lower Field Complex of the Nitchman Field in New London, Conn. The Lyons fall to 19-14 overall and 8-7 in league play, while the Bears improve to 17-12 and 10-5.

Coast Guard scored two runs in the 10th for its second comeback in a span of four innings to earn the victory. The teams combined for 19 runs on 30 hits.

First year center fielder Juliette Zito (Woodbridge, Conn.) was 3-6 with a double and three runs batted in to lead Wheaton's 14-hit attack, while first year Erica Piercey (North Branford, Conn.) was 3-5 with a double, a run scored and two RBI. Sophomore third base Lindsey Oliveira (Westport, Mass.) also had three hits, including a double in five at-bats and knocked in a run to go with two runs scored. Sophomore reliever Sofia Knopf (Norton, Mass.) (3-4) suffered the loss, giving up four runs (one earned) on four hits and six walks to go with a strikeout.

Sophomore third base Julia Breidenthal (Leawood, Kan.) drove in a game-high four runs and was 2-5 for the Bears, while junior shortstop Mariah Dewey (Campbell, Calif.) was 4-6 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI. Junior centerfielder Kayla Yoshioka Montalvo (Lomita, Calif.) was 3-4 with a double and a run batted in. Sophomore Amanda Moore (McLean, Va.) (11-4) picked up the win in relief, going three innings and allowing one unearned run on just one hit with three strikeouts.

The Lyons took a 9-8 lead in the top of the 10th when Zito laced an RBI single to right field to score first year right fielder Emme Conley (Riverside, R.I.). 

First year right fielder Natalie Beck (Billings, Mont.) began the bottom of the frame on second base for Coast Guard as part of the international tie-breaker rule before Dewey singled to center field and Breidenthal worked a walk to load the bases with no outs. Montalvo drew a walk to force in the tying run and Dewey scored on a fielder's choice to end the game.

The Bears opened the scoring with four runs in the bottom of the second to take a 4-0 lead. Sophomore left fielder Christine Carey (San Diego, Calif.) ripped a one-out double to left field, before sophomore Isabelle Shroyer (Marysville, Ohio) singled to left to put runners on the corners for the home team. Junior second base Selena Serna (San Diego, Calif.) knocked in Carey with the first run on a double to right field. Beck drew a walk to load the bases before Dewey singled home Shroyer for a 2-0 margin. Breidenthal brought home two more runs with a single to right to make it 4-0. 

Wheaton scored four runs of its own to knot the score in the top of the fourth. Oliveira smacked a leadoff double and Piercey matched her to trade places and put the visitors on the board at 4-1. Senior first base Tristan Keller (Plymouth, N.H.) drew a walk and senior starting pitcher Sarah Pritchard (Malta, N.Y.) singled to load the bases with no outs. Zito knocked in a pair of runs later in the inning with a two-out single and a third run came around to score on an error to tie the contest at 4-4.

Coast Guard reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the inning with three straight hits. Beck singled to open the frame, followed by a Dewey base knock and a two-run single to right off the bat of Breidenthal to give the Bears a 6-4 margin.

The Lyons counter punched in the fifth with three runs to take a 7-6 edge. Senior shortstop Katelyn Barton (Andover, N.H.) worked a leadoff walk and moved into scoring position on a passed ball. Oliveira plated her with a single to right field to pull Wheaton to within 6-5. Piercey singled to left and took second on the throw as Oliveira slid into third base. Oliveira scored on a wild pitch and Knopf drove in Piercey with a single to left to give the Lyons their first lead at 7-6.

Wheaton padded its lead with an apparent insurance run in the sixth to take an 8-6 lead. Sophomore second base Bryanna Agan (Averill Park, N.Y.) worked a leadoff walk and Oliveira followed with a one-out single to put runners on the corners. Oliveira joined Agan in scoring position with a steal, before Piercey brought home Agan with a single to center for the two-run lead. Piercey later stole second to give the Lyons two runners in scoring position with one out, but a pair of infield pop-ups reduced the damage to just one run.

Coast Guard managed two runs in its half of the sixth with a hit and the benefit of an error to tie the game at 8-8. Montalvo drew a one-out walk and sophomore catcher Lillia Farlow (Carrollton, Texas) reached on an error for the Bears. Junior Katie Becker (Jacksonville, N.C.) delivered with a single to center to pull the home team within a run. Carey followed with a base on balls to load the bases with one out. Shroyer hit a sacrifice fly to left to tie the game at 8-8.