March 15, 2009
Box Score
CLERMONT, FL–Senior pitcher Chelsea Sylvia (South Dartmouth, MA) allowed one run on only one hit while striking out seven batters in five innings of work to lead the Westfield State College Women's Softball team to a 13-1 victory in its season opener vs. the University of Massachusetts Boston squad this morning in Clermont, FL. The Beacons fall to 1-2 on the year while the win puts the Owls at 1-0.
In the bottom of the first, the Owls jumped ahead to a 3-0 lead, plating all the runs it would need in the contest with only one hit in the frame. The lone hit was a single by sophomore short stop Alicia Gardner (Athol, MA) that knocked in the only earned run of the inning.
Westfield took advantage of 10 walks and 4 hits batsmen in the first outing of the season by Beacon senior pitcher Courtney Haroules (Littleton, MA). In the second, the Owls sent 13 batters to the plate and scored seven runs on only two hits to take a 10-0 lead. One of the hits came at the hands of junior catcher Gia Calabrese (West Springfield, MA) who drove in two runs with a single up the middle.
On the hill, the lead was more than enough for Sylvia who worked fast and efficiently, retiring the first nine Beacons she faced. UMass Boston freshman short stop Ashley Faiella (Hyde Park, MA) belted a lead-off double in the fourth to break up the no-hit bid, and then stole third to be in great scoring position with no outs. Two batters later, senior third basemen Lauren O'Connor (Everett, MA) laced a one hoper to Owls right fielder Lindsay Jardin (Assonet, MA) who threw a bullet to senior first basemen Katie Gorman (Feeding Hills, MA). With the help of an incredible stretch by Gorman, the Owls nailed O'Connor on the 9-3 force out. Faiella scored the only Beacons run on the play while O'Connor was credited with the RBI.
Westfield tacked on its final three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning when freshman third basemen Kerin DeGirolamo (North Attleboro, MA) bombed a two-out, three RBI triple to clear the bases and make it a 13-1 ballgame.
Senior center fielder Jenn Widener (Hyde Park, MA) drew a leadoff walk in the fifth, but was stranded at third as Sylvia retired the next three batters, two by the way of the K, to end the game.
The Beacons will be back in action this afternoon when it faces Bethany College (WV) at 1:00pm while Westfield State plays its next game tomorrow at 9:00am vs. Fairleigh Dickinson (NJ).
