BABSON PARK, Mass. – The Babson College softball team scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth to come away with a 5-4 victory over visiting Wheaton College (Mass.) in game one of a New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference doubleheader this afternoon at Alumni Field in Babson Park, Mass.
The Lyons slip to 19-8 overall and 4-5 in league play, while the Beavers win their fourth in a row to improve to 14-6 and 6-3.
Babson got on the board first with a run in the bottom of the third, before Wheaton scored three times in the fourth and a single run in the top half of the sixth to take a 4-1 margin. The Beavers collected 12 hits in the game.
Senior left fielder Juliette Zito (Woodbridge, Conn.) paced the Lyons at the plate, going 2-4 with a triple and two runs batted in, while sophomore shortstop Ella Molinari (Grafton, Mass.) was 1-4 with a double. Senior right fielder Jillian Rohon (Southington, Conn.) reached base twice with a single and a walk. Sophomore starting pitcher Sofia De La Rosa (Middle Village, N.Y.) took the loss to drop to 9-5 after allowing five runs (four earned) on 12 hits and a walk to go with six strikeouts in six complete innings.
Junior center fielder Sophia Pak (New Rochelle, N.Y.) led all players with four hits in the game and knocked in a run for Babson. Senior right fielder Sara Moore (Kennett Square, Pa.) was 2-4 with a run batted in, two runs scored and a stolen base and first year catcher Belle DiCampello (Pottstown, Pa.) contributed with two singles in four at-bats to go with an RBI. Graduate student left-handed starter Moira O'Reilly (Columbus, Ohio) picked up the win to improve to 4-3, giving up four runs (one earned) on six hits and three walks, while fanning six batters in seven frames.
The Beavers rallied for four runs in the bottom of the sixth to erase a three-run deficit and take a 5-4 edge after six innings. Sophomore left fielder Emily Walsh (Flemington, N.J.) opened the inning with a single to left field, before De La Rosa retired the next two batters for Wheaton. Babson strung together three straight hits to ignite its rally. Graduate student pinch hitter Cameron Whiteford (Centerville, Md.) reached on an infield single to short, before Moore served an RBI single to center to plate Walsh and cut the deficit to two runs. Senior Athena Hadjipanayis (Rye, N.Y.) laced a single up the middle to score first year pinch-runner Maddy DeLong (Cranford, N.J.). The Beavers pulled even when DiCampello popped a pitch up in front of the plate that resulted in Moore scoring as the Wheaton catcher tried to beat her to the dish, but was late getting there. Pak delivered the eventual game-deciding run with a single to left field to bring home Hadjipanayis with the go-ahead run.
Babson scored the game's first run in the bottom of the third inning to take a 1-0 edge. Moore ripped a single up the middle, before stealing second to put her into scoring position. Hadjipanayis popped up a bunt to third base, but the throw to double up Moore at second was off the mark, allowing her to score on the play.
Wheaton took advantage of a pair of errors in the top of the fourth to score three runs and take a 3-1 margin. Junior first base Peyton Blankenheim-Brown (Rio Linda, Calif.) reached on a fielder's choice, sophomore second base Taylor Barry (Hadley, Mass.) drew a walk and sophomore third base Emma Boucher (Derry, N.H.) reached on an infield single to second to load the bases with two outs. First year designated player Madi Miller (Middle Village, N.Y.) reached base on an infield error that brought both Blankenheim-Brown and Barry around to score to give the Lyons a 2-1 edge. Rohon followed with a single up the middle to reload the bases, before Zito punched a single to right to plate Boucher with the third run of the game for Wheaton.
The Lyons tacked on another run in the sixth to increase their lead to three. Miller laced a lead-off single up the middle, before scoring one out later when Zito belted a triple to center field to make it 4-1 for Wheaton.
The teams continue the action in game two at Babson Park, Mass.
