Wheaton softball falls twice during continuation of Florida trip

March 13, 2007

FORT MYERS, FL- The Wheaton College softball team dropped a pair of contests at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic on Tuesday, continuing a 12-game swing in Florida. The Lyons fell to Montclair State University of New Jersey, 5-2 in the opener before dropping a 2-0 decision to Keene State College. Wheaton is now 2-6.

The Lyons broke on the board first against Montclair State, as senior Nicole Lachance's (Rochester, NH/Spaulding) 14-pitch at bat leading off the bottom of the inning ending in a base on balls, and freshman Merry MacDonald (Braintree, MA/Braintree) sent a single into right field one out later to plate the run.

Montclair State countered with two runs the following inning to take the lead for good, as junior Maureen Shockley (Magnolia, NJ/Triton) and freshman Megan Durkin (West Orange, NJ/West Orange) stroked consecutive RBI singles with one down. Durkin added another run-scoring hit in the fourth before her squad plated two additional runs in the fifth to go up, 5-1.

In the fifth, the Lyons put runners on second and third with one down but were unable to score before pushing a run across in the sixth on Lachance's two-out RBI single. However, Wheaton left the bases loaded.

Junior hurler Audrey Poulton (Charlestown, RI/Chariho Regional) went 3-for-3 at the dish but received the loss after yielding five runs, three of which were earned, in six innings. Poulton fanned four and walked three. Lachance finished 2-for-3. Junior Carolyn McCrea (Wharton, NJ/Jefferson Township) scattered nine hits during a complete game effort for 4-1 Montclair State, allowing one earned run while striking out five and walking three.

Keene State spoiled junior righthander Jodi Moynagh's (Worcester, MA/Holy Name Central Catholic) stellar outing with single runs in the third and fifth innings. Moynagh went the route on the mound, yielding six hits and one earned run while striking out 10 batters and walking only two. She also slugged a triple for her first collegiate extra-base hit.

Moynagh worked out of a bases-loaded, two-out situation in the top of the first inning before the Owls plated their only earned run in the third, as junior Colleen Ferguson (Sussex, NJ/High Point Regional) sent a two-out RBI single into left. Keene State added another run on Ferguson's run-scoring double with two down in the fifth, but Poulton squelched the rally, as the leftfielder gunned down Ferguson trying to take third on the play.

With one down in the bottom of the fifth, Moynagh slugged her three-bagger deep into the left field corner to begin Wheaton's first sustained threat. Moynagh held as junior catcher Alix Brozman (Chappaqua, NY/Horace Greeley) followed with a bunt single, and an ensuing fielder's choice loaded the bases. However, Owl senior pitcher Erin Fuoroli (Warwick, RI/Pilgrim) induced another fielder's choice and a flyout to end the rally.

Brozman doubled with one down in the seventh to start another comeback attempt before Keene State junior Ashlee Nicholson (Swanzey, NH/Monadnock) came on in relief to retire the final two batters for the save. Brozman finished 2-for-3, while Fuoroli yielded five hits during 6.1 shutout innings before giving way to Nicholson, who nailed down the win for the 5-1 Owls.

Wheaton plays another pair of contests tomorrow, beginning with the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey at 9:00 a.m. The Lyons clash with the College of Wooster, an Ohio-based school, at 1:00 p.m.

This page is maintained by Scott Dietz. Last updated on 3/20/07.
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