PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Junior shortstop Ella Molinari (Grafton, Mass.) registered her 100th career hit, but the Wheaton College (Mass.) softball team dropped the first game of a doubleheader to host Rhode Island College, 6-3, this afternoon at Dayna A. Bazar Softball Complex in Providence, R.I.
The Lyons fall to 8-3 on the season, while the Anchorwomen improve to 9-4.
Wheaton scored the first three runs of the game in the top of the first, before Rhode Island College matched with three runs in the second as part of six unanswered runs to close out the game.
Molinari recorded her 100th career hit and finished the contest with two knocks in four at-bats, including a double to go with a run scored, while junior second base Taylor Barry (Hadley, Mass.) led all hitters with three hits in four at-bats and added a run scored for the Lyons. First year designated player Alexandra Anquillare (North Haven, Conn.) was 1-3 with two runs batted in and a double. Junior starting pitcher Sofia De La Rosa (Middle Village, N.Y.) was saddled with the loss to drop to 3-3 after allowing six runs (two earned) on seven hits and two walks, while fanning five batters.
Sophomore third base Gabrielle Sweeney (Shirley, Mass.) drove in a pair of runs and was 1-3 with a run scored and a double for Rhode Island College and first year designated player Lily Bell (Coventry, R.I.) was 2-2 with a double and an RBI. Senior second base Noelle Simmons (Goffstown, N.H.) contributed with a 2-3 effort that included a triple, a walk and a run scored. Senior right-handed starting pitcher Gabby Cunha (Cranston, R.I.) earned the victory to improve to 2-2 after giving up three runs on eight hits and a walk in addition to three strikeouts.
Wheaton tallied three runs to open the game to take a 3-0 lead in the first frame. Barry reached on an infield single, before Molinari picked up her 100th career knock with a double down the left field line to put both runners in scoring position with one out. Senior first base Peyton Blankenheim-Brown (Rio Linda, Calif.) hit a sacrifice fly to center and Barry scampered home with the day's first run. Junior third base Emma Boucher (Derry, N.H.) drew a walk to set up Anguillare for a two-run double to left field to plate both Molinari and Boucher with the Lyons' second and third runs of the inning.
The Anchorwomen took advantage of a pair of errors to tie the game with three two-out runs in the bottom of the second to make it 3-3. Sophomore first base Jillian Guilfoyle (Derby, Conn.) reached on an error by the Wheaton first base, before Sweeney smacked a run-scoring double to left field. The Lyons looked to limit the damage with a pop-up to second, but the ball was dropped and Sweeney scored, while junior catcher Brianna Bailey (Windsor, Conn.) was safe on the play, advancing to second base. Junior right fielder Sydney Duclos (North Providence, R.I.) followed with a single up the middle to bring Bailey around to score the third run for Rhode Island College.
The Anchorwomen took the lead for good with a run in the bottom of the third to take a 4-3 edge. Guilfoyle reached on a fielder's choice and scored ahead of a Bell two-out double to the left-center gap to give the home team the lead.
In the meantime, Cunha was holding Wheaton in check, setting down nine straight Lyons before a Molinari single with two outs in the fifth that proved to be harmless.
Rhode Island College tacked on single insurance runs in the fifth and six innings to take a 6-3 margin. The Anchorwomen loaded the bases with one out when sophomore shortstop Joey Meyer (South Milwaukee, Wis.) drew a lead-off walk, Guilfoyle reached on an infield error and Bell beat out a bunt single. Sweeney reached on a fielder's choice to knock in Meyer with the fifth run for RIC in the bottom of the fifth Simmons ripped a one-out triple down the right field line in the sixth, before scoring on a ground out to second off the bat of senior center fielder Sophia Crudale (Cranston, R.I.) to give Rhode Island College a three-run lead.
The teams will meet again in the second game of the twinbill.
