2006 NEWMAC SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT - Lyons drop first round contest at Smith, 1-0

April 25, 2006

NORTHAMPTON, MA- Despite a strong pitching effort from sophomore Jodi Moynagh (Worcester, MA/Holy Name Central Catholic), the sixth-seeded Wheaton College softball team saw its season end with a narrow 1-0 loss at number-three Smith College in the first round of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Tournament on Tuesday.

The Lyons finished the season 24-15 and had a pair of impressive streaks end. The Blue and White had advanced to at least the semifinal round of the conference tournament each season since joining the New England Women's Eight (NEW 8) in 1988, which evolved into the NEWMAC in 1999, and Wheaton had been either the tournament champion or runner up each year since 1992. The Pioneers are now 19-14 and advanced to Saturday's semifinal round at Babson College.

Wheaton knocked on the door all day, pounding out eight hits but leaving nine runners stranded, including six in scoring position. The Lyons nearly broke through first, as junior Keely Nowosacki (Shrewsbury, MA/Shrewsbury) doubled with one down and a runner on first in the first inning, but Smith's relay from junior leftfielder Deborah Sasges (Vancouver, BC/Kitsilano) to sophomore shortstop Kathryn Schoenen (Ellicott City, MD/Mount Hebron) to senior catcher Katherine Cascio (Lawrence, MA/Phillips Andover) cut down the potential go-ahead run at the plate.

In the bottom of the inning, Smith plated the only run it would need. Junior Chloe Pete (Beaverton, OR/Sunset) slapped a double into the left-field gap, moved to third on freshman Crystal Fryer's (Louisville, KY/Butler Traditional) sacrifice bunt and scored on Sasges' sacrifice fly.

The visitors had at least one hit in each of the first six innings and loaded the bases with one out in the third. Junior Nicole Lachance (Rochester, NH/Spaulding) doubled off the fence in right, freshman Jessica DeRico (Griswold, CT/Griswold) beat out a bunt single, and Nowosacki was hit by a full-count pitch, but Smith senior hurler Katie Maroney (Santa Clarita, CA/La Costa Canyon) rebounded to induce a fielder's choice at the plate and a groundout to end the threat.

Moynagh escaped a jam in the fifth, as the Pioneers looked to break the game open with runners on first and second, one out, and the number two and three hitters coming up. However, the sophomore righty recorded the second out on a fly ball to center and fielded a tapper back to the mound that ended the inning. Moynagh again went unscathed after Smith had a two-on, two-out situation in the sixth before Maroney notched her lone 1-2-3 inning of the day in the seventh, retiring the final two batters on strikes.

Moynagh yielded only one run on six hits with one walk and two strikeouts during her complete-game effort and finished the season 13-6. DeRico was 2-for-4, sophomore Audrey Poulton (Charlestown, RI/Chariho Regional) went 2-for-3, and each stole a base.

Pete was the only multiple hitter for Smith, going 2-for-3 with the lone run of the game. Sasges also doubled, while Maroney did not walk a batter while fanning five during an eight-hit shutout.

This page is maintained by Scott Dietz. Last updated on 4/26/06.
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