Wheaton pulls out opener before offensive outburst leads to nightcap win

April 6, 2008

NORTON, MA- Wheaton College senior Erika Marini (Pawtucket, RI/Saint Raphael Academy) scored on a wild pitch with two down in the seventh inning of a 3-2 game-one victory before the Lyons unloaded on Smith College, 20-2 in five frames during the second contest of a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) softball twinbill sweep on Sunday at Clark Field. Wheaton reached the 20-win plateau for the 15th straight season in improving to 21-7 overall and 7-3 in the league, while Smith slipped to 6-12 and 2-4.

In the first contest, sophomore Marisa Kritikson (Tampa, FL/Tampa Prep) provided Smith with a 1-0 lead in the third inning, hitting a solo home run with one down for the Pioneers' first hit off of senior Jodi Moynagh (Worcester, MA/Holy Name Central Catholic). After being held hitless during the opening three frames, Wheaton scored twice in the fourth. Senior Audrey Poulton (Charlestown, RI/Chariho Regional) came around on an infield miscue before junior Stacey Kelleher's (Brockton, MA/Brockton) RBI double put the Lyons in front.

Smith knotted the game in the sixth, as senior Kathryn Schoenen (Ellicott City, MD/Mount Hebron) singled in junior Crystal Fryer (Louisville, KY/Butler County) with one down. In the bottom of the seventh, Marini led off by reaching on an infield error, moved to third on another miscue and scored on a two-out wild pitch.

Kelleher's double was one of Wheaton's four hits, as she picked up the lone Lyon RBI. Moynagh improved to 11-1 while yielding two earned runs on six hits with seven strikeouts and one walk. For Smith, Schoenen was 2-for-3 with an RBI, while senior Dezarai Fisher (Phoenix, AZ/Desert Vista) took the loss despite allowing just one earned run in 6.2 innings on four hits with five strikeouts and one walk.

During the second game, Wheaton hit the 20-run plateau for the first time since 2000. The hosts rapped out 18 hits and swiped seven bases while backing a strong pitching performance by Poulton, who was making just her third appearance in the circle this season. Poulton yielded one earned run on six hits while fanning two in her initial start of the spring, and the righty's first pitching assignment since March 27.

Wheaton quickly gave Poulton plenty of run support, plating five runs in the first inning on four consecutive two-out hits, as Kelleher smacked an RBI double, freshman Rachel Merrick (Methuen, MA/Central Catholic) and junior Lynn Cotto (Brookfield, CT/Brookfield) each singled in a run, and freshman Julie Murray (Canton, MA/Canton) slugged a two-run home run to left field for her second dinger of the spring.

Three more runs came across in the second, as a Marini RBI single was followed by a Kelleher two-run double, before Smith senior Taryn Pestalozzi (Troutdale, OR/Reynolds) homered in the third to make it 8-1, but Poulton escaped a two-on, two-out jam. Wheaton rewarded her with nine runs on eight hits in the bottom half, as all nine Lyons reached base at least once, and senior Alix Brozman (Chappaqua, NY/Horace Greeley) had two hits. Brozman, Cotto, Kelleher, Moynagh and junior Brady Benton (Concord, NH/Concord) each had RBI singles, while Merrick smacked a two-run base hit. Merrick later stole home on the back end of a double steal with Cotto.

Smith plated its second run in the fourth, but Wheaton countered with three more runs in the bottom half. Kelleher stroked an RBI single before scoring on an error, and Merrick hit a sacrifice fly.

All nine Wheaton starters had at least one hit and one run, while eight had at least one RBI. Kelleher was 4-for-4 with three runs, five RBI and two doubles, while Brozman was also perfect at 3-for-3. Merrick went 2-for-3 with two runs, four RBI and three stolen bases, Benton and Poulton were each 2-for-3 with three runs, and Cotto was 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBI. Marini scored three times, and Murray was plated twice and had two RBI. Fryer and Pestalozzi each had two hits for Smith, while two pitchers combined to yield 16 earned runs on 18 hits.

Wheaton takes a break from league play by traveling to Eastern Connecticut State University on Tuesday for a 5:00 p.m. doubleheader.

This page is maintained by Scott Dietz. Last updated on 4/6/08.
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