Lyons take game one at Bridgewater State, 4-1 before falling, 4-3 in nightcap

March 23, 2006

BRIDGEWATER, MA- The Wheaton College softball team broke open a scoreless first game at local non-conference rival Bridgewater State College with four runs in the top half of the seventh inning to post a 4-1 win but came up short in the nightcap, 4-3 Thursday afternoon at Alumni Park.

Winners in 10 of their last 12 games, the Lyons are 11-3 heading into Sunday's New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) opener at Smith College. Salvaging the split, Bridgewater State moves to 2-10 on the young season.

The afternoon's first game witnessed a pitcher's duel between Wheaton sophomore Jodi Moynagh (Worcester, MA/Holy Name Central Catholic) and Bear senior Katie Tauber (Carver, MA/Carver). The tandem combined for 14 strikeouts and 11 hits allowed through the sixth. Moynagh fanned a career-best 11 batters while Tauber surrendered just three hits through six frames. Bridgewater had the better of the scoring chances between the two teams, only to leave the bases loaded in both the third and sixth innings.

Tauber faced the minimum number of batters from the third through sixth stanzas, but the Lyons used four hits coupled with a Bridgewater State error to plate four runs in the final frame. Junior Jessica DePolito (Taunton, MA/Coyle and Cassidy) led off with a double to left, freshman Niki Gruttadauria (Gates Mills, OH/Hawken School) reached on an error and junior Keely Nowosacki (Shrewsbury, MA/Shrewsbury) jammed the bags with a pinch-hit walk. First-year players Jessica DeRico (Griswold, CT/Griswold) and Katelyn Brides (West Bridgewater, MA/West Bridgewater) singled home runs and sophomore Erika Marini (Pawtucket, RI/Saint Raphael Academy) doubled in two runs.

Sophomore pitcher Audrey Poulton (Charlestown, RI/Chariho Regional) relieved Moynagh in the seventh, limiting the hosts to one unearned run on one hit while striking out two batters. Moynagh improved to 6-1 with the win, DeRico finished 2-for-2 with an RBI, run and walk, and Marini went 2-for-4 with the two RBI and double.

In the nightcap, Bridgewater State's bats came alive with a total of 12 hits, leading to two-run innings in the first and fifth. The opening frame for the Bears was highlighted by a two-run homer from sophomore Nicole Hebert (Taunton, MA/Taunton). The Lyons went ahead 3-2 thanks to their three-run fourth inning, capped by freshman Katelynn Hanewich's (Bradenton, FL/Lakewood Ranch) two-run double to left center, but Bridgewater answered with two runs and five hits in the bottom half of the fifth.

Bear freshman Julie Martell (Wilmington, MA/Wilmington) and Hebert each drove in runs in the fifth and sophomore hurler Stephanie Pierce (Worcester, MA/Notre Dame Academy) limited the Lyons to harmless singles in the sixth and seventh innings to secure the win. Pierce picked up her first win of the season after allowing two earned runs with a pair of strikeouts and one walk.

Poulton was saddled with her first loss of the year, surrendering four earned runs and 12 hits while striking out three with zero walks. Offensively, DePolito was Wheaton's lone multiple hitter as she was 2-for-2 with a run scored. Bridgewater State had four players with two hits apiece.

Wheaton faces defending regular season conference champion Smith on Sunday in Northampton at 12:00 p.m.

This page is maintained by Scott Dietz. Last updated on 3/24/06.
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