WELLESLEY, Mass. – The Wheaton College (Mass.) softball team fell, 6-2, in the second game of a doubleheader as host Wellesley College salvaged a split this afternoon in New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference play at the Wellesley Softball Field in Wellesley, Mass.
The Lyons dip to 18-15 overall and 11-5 in conference play, while the Blue improve to 14-20 and 6-12.
Wellesley rapped out 12 hits in the contest. The Blue scored three times in the first and doubled their lead with three more runs in the bottom of the fourth, before Wheaton scored both of its runs in the sixth.
First year designated player Taylor Barry (Hadley, Mass.) led the Lyons bats, going 3-4 with a run scored, while sophomore Peyton Blankenheim-Brown (Rio Linda, Calif.) was 2-3 with a run batted in. Junior center fielder Grace DiBacco (Selkirk, N.Y.) chipped in with a 1-2 effort that saw her drive in a run and score a run. Blankenheim-Brown suffered the loss in the circle, dropping to 2-3 after giving up six runs (four earned) on 10 hits to go with a pair of strikeouts.
Sophomore designated player Chiara Lundin (Piedmont, Calif.) paced Wellesley with three hits in four at-bats and three RBI to go with a run scored, while first year right fielder Ashley Galbraith (Frisco, Texas) was 2-3 with a run scored and a stolen base. First year third base Giana Jones (Fairfield, Calif.) was 1-3 with a double and a run batted in. First year starting pitcher Sarah Wicker (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.) improved to 6-9 with the win. She allowed two runs on six hits and three walks in addition to fanning four batters.
The Blue put three runs on the board in the bottom of the first to take an early three-run lead. Sophomore shortstop Andrea Delgado (Miami, Fla.) laced a lead-off single through the left side and later scored when Lundin ripped a single up the middle. Jones also knocked in a run in the frame with an RBI double down the left field line to make it 3-0.
Wellesley added three more runs to take a 6-0 lead after four innings of play. Galbraith smacked a single up the middle to open the inning, stole second and moved to third on a ground out. Wicker helped her cause with a single to left to plate Galbraith with the fourth run for the Blue. First year catcher Anisa Rodriguez (La Quinta, Calif.) followed with a single up the middle and both runners moved into scoring position on a double-steal to set up Lundin for a two-run single down the left field line to give the home team a six-run advantage.
Wheaton got two runs back in the top of the sixth, but it was all the scoring they would produce for the game. Barry singled to right and first year Ella Molinari (Grafton, Mass.) walked to open the inning. Blankenheim-Brown ripped a single up the middle to bring Barry around to score the first run of the game for the Lyons. Sophomore relief pitcher Amber Arcand (Millville, Mass.) drew a walk to load the bases, before DiBacco came through with a single to right to knock in Molinari. Wicker was able to get out of the bases-loaded jam for Wellesley with a flyout to right field.
Wheaton returns to action on Friday, May 3 when it travels to Worcester, Mass. to take on Worcester Polytechnic Institute in NEWMAC doubleheader action at 3:30 p.m., while the Blue host Worcester State University on May 1 at 3:00 p.m.
