Softball Sweeps Rivier on Senior Day

HOLDEN, Mass.—The Anna Maria College softball team posted their first sweep of 2015, downing the Raiders of Rivier University 9-1 in game one and 11-10 in game two in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action from Wachusett High School on Saturday.

With today's wins, the AMCATS snap an 18-game losing streak and improve to 5-24 overall and 3-18 in league action. The Raiders fall to 14-18 overall and 5-15 in conference play.

Anna Maria 9, Rivier 1 – Six innings

Senior Cristina Turley (Waterford, Conn.) batted 4-for-4 with six RBI to lead the AMCATS to the game one victory while classmate Justine Lalonde (Shirley, N.Y.) added a 2-for-3 effort to aid Anna Maria's offensive efforts.

The AMCATS started early, as leadoff batter Liz Haggerty (Charlton, Mass.) capitalized on a mishap behind the plate to reach first on a dropped third strike. She moved to second on a single by Jacqueline Lapierre (Worcester, Mass.), and they both moved up a base on a ground out by Kaitlyn Moran (Leicester, Mass.).

Junior catcher Lindsay Bond (Webster, Mass.) singled to load the bases, and Turley singled to score both Haggerty and Lapierre.

The AMCATS added single tallies in the bottom of the third and fifth innings while Rivier scored their lone run in the top of the fourth.

Anna Maria had a monster sixth inning, as they scored five runs on three hits and two errors to take the win.

With two runners on and one out, Lapierre took first on a dropped third strike to load the bases. Moran reached on a fielder's choice on which Lalonde scored.

With the bases still loaded, Turley tripled down the right field line to clear the bases. She would then score herself on an error by Rivier's short stop, putting the mercy rule in place and ending the game.

Senior Nichole Lowe (Saugus, Mass.) earned the win in the circle, allowing just one run on six hits and a walk. She struck out three batters.

Rivier's Taylor Miller (Haverhill, Mass.) took the loss, scattering two earned runs on 11 hits and no walks. She fanned two.

The Raiders were led offensively by Nicole Scotti (Concord, N.H.), who finished 2-for-2 at the plate with one RBI.

Anna Maria 11, Rivier 10 – Eight Innings

Anna Maria overcame a three-run deficit to take an 11-10 come-back win in extra innings to complete the sweep.

The AMCATS opened scoring in the first inning, as Haggerty and Lapierre both singled and moved to third and second, respectively, on a groundout by Moran. Turley, batting cleanup, singled to right field to score Haggerty for her first of three RBIs in game two.

Rivier responded with a four-run performance in the top of the second to take a 4-1 lead, but the AMCATS began to chip away at the three-run deficit in the bottom of the third before reclaiming the lead with three runs in the bottom of the fifth.

Lalonde opened the fifth with a single. The next two AMCATS batter grounded out, but with two outs, Moran hit an RBI single to center field. After advancing to second base on a wild pitch, Moran scored on an RBI single by Turley.

The AMCATS loaded the bases with a single by Bond and a hit-by-pitch for Marissa Pingeton (Worcester, Mass.). Turley then scored on another wild pitch to give the AMCATS the lead.

Rivier added two runs in the top of the sixth and Anna Maria tied it at 6-6 to force extra-innings in the bottom of the seventh.

The Raiders came out firing in extras as they scored four runs in the top of the eighth, but the AMCATS had a little more steam, scoring five runs to take the 11-10 win.

Junior Angela Vousboukis (Swampscott, Mass.) earned her first win in the circle this season in the complete-game effort. She allowed six earned runs on 16 hits with no walks and no strikeouts. Jess Shanahan (Merrimack, N.H.) took the loss in relief, giving up two earned runs on six hits.

The AMCATS honored seniors Lowe, Lalonde, and Turley in a brief ceremony prior to the start of the game in honor of the final home doubleheader of their careers.