TUCSON, Ariz. (March 16, 2017) – Junior
Lauren Shirley drove in three runs and senior
Emily Sellitti collected four hits as the Stevens Institute of Technology softball team wrapped up play at the 2017 Tucson Invitational Games with a 9-8 setback to Eastern Connecticut State University and a 4-3 victory over Trinity (Texas) University Thursday. Both games required extra innings to determine a winner.
Freshman
Samantha Schattin drove in two runs and junior
Corinne Loncar scored twice on the afternoon for the Ducks, who return to the East Coast with an 8-4 record.
Eastern Connecticut State University 9 Stevens 8 (8 inn.)
In the day's opener, Stevens rallied for two runs in the fourth and two runs in the fifth to take a 6-5 lead over the Warriors, but Kristyn Ryan hit a ninth-inning home run for ECSU to force extra innings.
In the extra frame, ECSU's Megan Hodgdon was placed on second as per the tiebreaker rule. Samantha Bardos singled and Callie Duthrie reached on a fielder's choice to erase the placed runner. Sara Pisanelli reached on a bunt that was mishandled by
Amanda DiLeo to load the bases. Ryan extended the inning with a single to center that scored Bardos and Duthrie. Gina Georgetti hit a ground rule double to center to score the ECSU catcher for what would ultimately prove to be winning run. Ryan finished with 4 RBI.
Trailing by three,
Corinne Loncar was placed at second to begin the inning for the Ducks.
Lauren Shirley promptly bounced a double over the right-centerfield fence to score Loncar. After
Marissa Cappello (1-2) struck out, freshman
Melissa Alfonso singled to move Shirley to third. DiLeo lifted a sacrifice fly to right to bring the Ducks within one. Sophomore
Julia DeCandia pinch-ran for DiLeo but was stranded at first when sophomore
Katherine Tirabassi stuck out to end the game.
Ryan's seventh-inning home run spoiled the Stevens comeback that began in the fourth. Trailing 5-2, the Ducks plated a pair of runs when Tirabassi scored on a wild pitch and freshman
Victoria Kapp snuck a ball into left field for an RBI double. Stevens took the lead on
Samantha Schattin's fielder's choice RBI after DiLeo's bases-loaded single tied the game. The freshman outfielder dribbled a ball towards second and Jackie Lewis chose to throw home to get the force out but Cappello hustled down the line and beat the throw home.
Jacky Arndt (2-1) allowed two earned runs over four innings to earn the win. Cappello allowed four earned runs over six innings in relief of starter
Olivia Gemma, who did not factor in the decision.
Stevens 4 Trinity (Texas) University 3 (8 inn.)
After suffering the extra-inning loss in game one, Stevens rebounded to defeat Trinity (Texas) University, 4-3, in eight innings.
Senior
Gina Schnecker scored the winning run as the placed runner, to give Stevens the victory.
The Ducks jumped on Trinity starter Katie Glomb (3-7) in the first inning.
Emily Sellitti led the game off with a single and moved to second when Glomb walked
Samantha Schattin.
Corinne Loncar doubled to right center to score Sellitti for the game's first run. Shirley became the fourth consecutive batter to reach in the inning with a single, driving in Schattin and Loncar.
Stevens would have runners on base in every inning, but could not add to its lead until the extra inning.
Trinity chipped away at the Stevens lead with single runs in the second and fifth, before tying the game in the sixth on a passed ball.
Tied at three after seven innings, Stevens moved to the extra inning for the second straight game. As the designated visiting team, the Ducks had first crack at taking a lead.
After Schnecker was placed on second, Sellitti sacrificed the outfielder to third. Schattin then hit the ball on the ground and with two of the team's fastest runners in motion, Trinity opted to try to tag out Schnecker, but the Doylestown, Pennsylvania native easily beat the throw to give Stevens the lead.
Charged with protecting a lead,
Christine LaRochelle (4-2) survived the final three outs to earn the complete-game victory. LaRochelle scattered seven hits over eight innings with five strikeouts to win her second straight decision.
Up Next: Stevens returns to the diamond on March 23 for a doubleheader in Glenside, Pennsylvania against Arcadia University. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.
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