Wheaton sweeps defending regular season champ Smith in league opener

March 26, 2006

NORTHAMPTON, MA- The Wheaton College softball team took a pair of contests from defending New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) regular season champion Smith College, 4-2 and 6-4 in eight innings, during each team's conference-opening contests on Sunday. The Lyons moved to 13-3, while the Pioneers fell to 5-6 as their losing streak reached six games.

Sophomore Audrey Poulton (Charlestown, RI/Chariho Regional) carried a shutout into the sixth inning in game one, and the Lyons provided her with a pair of two-out runs in each the third and seventh innings. Junior Nicole Lachance (Rochester, NH/Spaulding) and freshman Katelynn Hanewich (Bradenton, FL/Lakewood Ranch) stroked consecutive singles in the third before sophomore Erika Marini (Pawtucket, RI/Saint Raphael Academy) drove them both home with a double off the fence in left center. In the seventh, Lachance singled to plate sophomore Meredith Gorton (Warwick, NY/Warwick Valley) and freshman Katelyn Brides (West Bridgewater, MA/West Bridgewater), who had each reached on a hit.

Poulton was sharp during her complete-game outing, retiring 15 of the first 19 batters she faced. Senior Sara Watson (Kent, WA/Kentlake) led off the second with a triple, but Poulton stranded her at third base during Smith's only sustained threat over the first five innings. Watson came through in the sixth, poking an RBI double into right to bring Smith within 2-1, and freshman Crystal Fryer (Louisville, KY/Butler County) smacked a run-scoring single with two down in the seventh before Poulton set down the final batter.

During her seventh complete game, Poulton allowed eight hits, including four that never left the infield, while fanning six and not walking a batter. Lachance had a team-best two hits in four at bats. Smith senior Kristen Maroney (Santa Clarita, CA/La Costa Canyon) suffered the loss after yielding eight hits and striking out two. Watson finished 2-for-3 with her pair of extra-base hits.

During game two, junior Jessica DePolito (Taunton, MA/Coyle and Cassidy) came up with a trio of timely run-scoring hits for the Lyons, including driving home the eventual game-winner in the eighth inning. Wheaton's 1-0 lead after the first half inning was washed out when the Pioneers scored three runs on one hit over the next two frames to grab a 3-1 edge. That's when DePolito went to work, as she launched a two-out, two-run homer over the right center field fence to knot the game in the third.

In the fifth, DePolito stroked a two-out single up the middle to plate Lachance and give the Lyons a 4-3 edge. Watson knotted the game with a two-out RBI single of her own in the bottom of the inning, but DePolito singled into right field to bring across Hanewich with the first run of the eighth inning. Freshman Jessica DeRico (Griswold, CT/Griswold) gave Wheaton an insurance run by bringing around Marini on a sacrifice fly. Sophomore hurler Jodi Moynagh (Worcester, MA/Holy Name Central Catholic) clinched the win by retiring the side in order in the bottom of the inning.

Moynagh went the distance on the hill, surrendering two earned runs on six hits while walking two and striking out five, including a pair in the final stanza. DePolito finished 3-for-4 with four RBI, and Lachance was 2-for-4 with two runs. For Smith, freshman Emily Hiltzik (Westbury, NY/W. Tresper Clarke Jr.) pitched all eight innings and allowed 10 hits while walking two batters and striking out one. Sophomore Kathryn Schoenen (Ellicott City, MD/Mount Hebron) led the Pioneers with a 2-for-3 effort at the plate.

The Lyons open their home slate Tuesday against Rhode Island College in a 2:00 p.m. doubleheader.

This page is maintained by Scott Dietz. Last updated on 3/26/06.
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