SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Wheaton College (Mass.) softball team committed six errors in a 9-1 loss to host Springfield College in the second game of a New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference twinbill at Potter Field in Springfield, Mass.

The Lyons dip to 22-10 and 7-6 in conference action, while the Pride improve to 22-10 and 9-5.

Springfield rapped out 13 hits and held Wheaton to just three knocks for the game.

Seven different players registered at least one hit and six different hitters knocked in at least one run for the home team.

The Pride scored a run in the first, before the Lyons tied the score with a run of their own in the top of the third. Springfield put the game away with four runs in its half of the third and four more in the fifth to end the contest via the NCAA eight-run mercy rule.

Senior left fielder Juliette Zito (Woodbridge, Conn.) paced Wheaton at the plate, going 2-3 with a triple and a run batted in. Sophomore shortstop Ella Molinari (Grafton, Mass.) was 1-2 and senior right fielder Jillian Rohon (Southington, Conn.) reached on a walk and scored a run. Junior starting pitcher Amber Arcand (Millville, Mass.) suffered the loss to dip to 3-1 on the season after giving up nine runs (six earned) on 13 hits and two walks to go with a strikeout in four-plus innings of work.

Graduate student catcher Callie Gendron (Berlin, Conn.) led the Pride with a 2-3 showing that saw her double, draw a walk and drive in three runs. Junior Designated player Carissa Pecchia (Mamaroneck, N.Y.) was 2-4 with a pair of doubles, two RBI and a run scored, while junior first base Kate Katsetos (Brewster, N.Y.) knocked in a pair of runs and scored a run. Junior third base Amelia DeRosa (Miller Place, N.Y.) was 3-3 with a walk and two runs scored from the top of the order. First year starting pitcher Abby Robinson (East Lyme, Conn.) earned the victory to improve to 4-1. She allowed just one run on three hits and a trio of free passes, while fanning two batters in five complete innings. 

Zito provided the only run of the game for the Lyons in the top of the third inning. Rohon worked a one-out walk, before the lineup turned over for Zito, who belted a hustle triple to left field to bring home Rohon to knot the game at 1-1.

The good feelings were short-lived as Springfield took advantage of three errors to score four runs and take a 5-1 lead in the bottom of the inning. The Pride put runners on second and third with one out after Pecchia cracked a lead-off double and graduate student right fielder Lucy Puskas (Roxbury, Conn.) singled and took second on an error. Pecchia scored when first year shortstop Katie Manzone (Wareham, Mass.) reached on an error and Puskas crossed the plate ahead of a single to center from graduate student left fielder Michaela Ponticello (Gloversville, N.Y.) to give Springfield a 3-1 margin. The Pride added two more runs in the inning following a single by Katsetos, combined with an error, to increase their cushion to 5-1.

All six batters that stepped into the box reached base for Springfield with four of them scoring to end the game for the Pride. Katsetos and senior center fielder Marissa Seyfert (Farmingdale, N.Y.) began the bottom of the fifth with consecutive singles, before DeRosa drew a walk to load the bases. First year second base Brynlee Eckles (Ellington, Conn.) reached first on an error to bring home Katsetos to give the home team a five-run lead. Pecchia continued the offensive outburst with a two-run double to left to bring around Seyfert and DeRosa to score the seventh and eighth runs of the game for Springfield. Gendron matched Pecchia with a double of her own to knock in Eckles with the ninth run to give the Pride an eight-run victory.

Springfield got on the board with a run in the bottom of the first to take a 1-0 lead. DeRosa served a single to left field to open the frame, before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt. Gendron ripped a single off the Wheaton shortstop's glove and DeRosa scored the first run as the ball rolled behind second base.

The Lyons return to action on Sunday, April 27 when they host NEWMAC foe Wellesley College at 12:00 p.m., while the Pride host Clark University (Mass.) on the same day and time.