CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The Wheaton College (Mass.) softball team was edged by host Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 5-4, in eight innings in the first game of a New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference doubleheader this afternoon at Briggs Field in Cambridge, Mass. 

The Lyons fall to 19-10 overall and 7-4 in league play, while the Engineers improve to 24-4 and 10-1.

MIT scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game and scored the winning run in the eighth inning.

Junior catcher Rylie Spiegel (Rumson, N.J.) was placed on second base as per the international tie-breaker, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by first year third base Ava Ladd (Austin, Texas) and scored the deciding run on a wild pitch to give the Engineers a 5-4 win.

Sophomore left fielder Juliette Zito (Woodbridge, Conn.) was 2-4 with a run batted in for Wheaton, while first year first base Lily Platt (Hallowell, Maine) was 2-3 with a pair of runs scored. Sophomore right fielder Jillian Rohon (Southington, Conn.) reached base twice with a double and a walk to go with a run scored. Junior starting pitcher Sofia Knopf (Norton, Mass.) suffered the loss, allowing five runs (four earned) on 14 hits and a walk to go with three strikeouts in seven and a third innings pitched and dropped to 9-4 on the season.

Senior center fielder Jordan Sell (Schwenksville, Pa.) was 3-4 with an RBI and a run scored from the top of the MIT lineup and sophomore left fielder Mikayla Cable (Valrico, Fla.) knocked in a run after going 2-4 with a run scored. Ladd also drove in a run and was 2-3 with a run scored and a stolen base. Junior Katie Pendowski (Elk Grove Village, Ill.) smacked a pair of doubles in four at-bats for the Engineers. First year starting pitcher Caroline Langmeyer (Upper Arlington, Ohio) picked up the win to improve to 15-2 after giving up four runs (two earned) on nine hits and two walks in addition to 10 strikeouts in eight innings.

MIT cracked the scoring column first with a run in the bottom of the opening frame to take a 1-0 lead. The home team loaded the bases with one out when Cable reached on a fielder's choice and sophomore right fielder Kennedy Adkinson (San Jose, Calif.) and sophomore second base Mackenzie Bivin (San Diego, Calif.) followed with back-to-back singles. Cable scored on a wild pitch for one of two runs in the game that the Engineers scored via the wild pitch.

The Lyons answered immediately with a pair of runs in the top of the second to take a 2-1 margin. Wheaton followed MIT's lead by loading the bases with one out as well after Rohon drew a walk, Platt singled to right and junior third base Amanda Bogardus (Saco, Maine) worked a walk to put a runner on every base. Zito came through with a single to right field that the MIT right fielder had trouble with, enabling both Rohon and Platt to score on the play.

Wheaton tacked on another run in the third to take a two-run lead. Sophomore center fielder Grace DiBacco (Selkirk, N.Y.) roped a single to left field, before Knopf helped her cause with a single to right to put runners on the corners with two outs. Knopf stole second base and DiBacco scored on the Lyons' third run of the game on the play. 

Wheaton plated its fourth run in the sixth with the benefit of an error to take a 4-1 lead. Platt singled to center field with two outs and later scored when Bogardus reached on an outfield error. 

The Lyons needed just six more outs to come away with a road victory, but MIT rallied for three runs in the bottom of the sixth to knot the contest at 4-4. Knopf retired the first two batters she faced before senior pinch-hitter Abby Shull (Cypress, Texas) was issued a free pass, Spiegel pinch-ran for her and stole second and Ladd ripped a single to left field to bring her around to score the second Engineers' run. Sell and Cable each followed with RBI singles of their own and the game was tied at 4-4.