Slugfest and shutout highlight Wheaton's NEWMAC sweep of MIT

April 1, 2008

CAMBRIDGE, MA- Senior Jodi Moynagh (Worcester, MA/Holy Name Central Catholic) fired her fourth shutout of the spring in the nightcap, picking up a 4-0 win, and the Wheaton College softball team outslugged Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), 10-9 in the opener during the Lyons' New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) doubleheader sweep on Tuesday at Briggs Field. Wheaton, which is receiving votes in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) poll, improved to 16-4 overall and 3-1 in the league. The Engineers are now 3-12 and 0-4, having lost 12 straight overall.

In a wild opening contest, the Lyons plated three runs in the top of the first inning on two hits and three errors, only to see MIT counter with four runs in the bottom half on a trio of hits and two miscues. The Lyons went back in front in the third with two runs, as freshman Nicole DeRosa (Greenwich, CT/Greenwich Academy) ripped an RBI triple and scored on classmate Rachel Merrick's (Methuen, MA/Central Catholic) single. Senior Erika Marini's (Pawtucket, RI/Saint Raphael Academy) sacrifice fly highlighted a two-run inning that made it 7-4 in the fourth, but MIT plated a pair of two-out unearned runs in the fifth.

After entering the seventh clinging to a 7-6 lead, Wheaton attempted to put the game out of reach with three more runs, with one each scoring on another Marini sacrifice fly and DeRosa's second RBI triple. However, MIT pushed three runs across in the bottom half of the frame on three hits and an error, creeping to within 10-9 and placing the tying run on third with two down. Wheaton freshman reliever Courteney Collier (Bolton, MA/Nashoba Regional) ended the threat by inducing a game-ending groundout to shortstop.

Senior Audrey Poulton (Charlestown, RI/Chariho Regional) and junior Brady Benton (Concord, NH/Concord) each went 3-for-4 with a double for Wheaton, as Poulton scored three times and Benton twice. Marini scored three times and had two RBI, while DeRosa was 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBI. Merrick added a 2-for-3 effort off the bench. In the circle, sophomore Andrea Bagley (Foxboro, MA/Foxboro) earned the win after yielding six runs, but three earned, on four hits in 4.1-plus innings. She fanned four and walked two. Collier came on for her second save of the season, allowing three earned runs on four hits in 2.2 frames.

Sophomore Lily Keung (Boston, MA/Boston Latin Academy) and freshman Jessica Oleinik (Ellicott City, MD/Centennial) each had two hits for MIT, with Oleinik doubling twice. She also suffered the loss after yielding seven earned runs on 10 hits during a complete-game effort. She fanned four.

In game two, Moynagh put together a strong performance with a three-hitter, striking out 10 and walking only one on the one-year anniversary of her perfect game against Bridgewater State College. Wheaton plated the only runs it would need on Marini's sacrifice fly in the first inning, as MIT's left fielder made a sliding catch before being bowled over by the shortstop. Two Lyons scored on the play.

Marini doubled home Poulton with one down in the third, and Benton doubled and scored on an error in the fifth inning. Poulton finished 3-for-3 with two runs, Benton was 2-for-4 with two runs, and Marini drove in three. Moynagh faced as many as four batters in an inning only three times, striking out at least one hitter in each frame. MIT's greatest threat came in the second, as the Engineers trailed just 2-0 and had two on with no one out. However, Moynagh sandwiched two strikeouts around senior catcher Alix Brozman's (Chappaqua, NY/Horace Greeley) pickoff to squelch the rally.

Senior Leah Bogsted (Levittown, NY/General Douglas MacArthur) went the distance for the Engineers, allowing one earned run on eight hits. She struck out five Lyons.

Wheaton continues an eight-game road stretch with two contests at Bridgewater State College tomorrow. The non-conference doubleheader begins at 3:00 p.m.

This page is maintained by Scott Dietz. Last updated on 4/1/08.
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