Hawks Sweep AMCATS in Non-Conference Doubleheader

PAXTON, Mass – After sweeping the Wheelock Wildcats on Wednesday the AMCATS continued their non-conference play Friday afternoon with a doubleheader against Worcester area rival Becker College. The NECC opponent came in to the game 8-10 and left 10-10 shutting out the 'Cats 15-0 and 8-0 at Anna Maria College.

Game 1

The AMCATS had three hits in game one, two off the bat of batting average leader Sabrina Carreira. Both of Carreira's hits were singles. The other hit came from Jacqueline Lapierre in a one-for-two effort at the plate. Victoria Falco was able to draw the lone walk of the game and went 0-for-one at the plate.

The Hawks put together a 17-hit game one, four of those hits coming from Sarah Ellis. Ellis had three singles and a double in the game while also driving in a run and scoring three times. Rebecca Carkhuff, Megan Klemanchuck, Samantha Belenchia, and Lauren Neimann each had two hit games for Becker. Klemanchuck recording the only other extra base hit, a double. Carkhuff, Klemanchuck, Belenchia and Alyssa Columb all drove in two runs as well. Pitcher Samantha Lee pitched five innings in game one, allowing just the three hits and one walk. She struck out 11 AMCAT hitters.

The game was pretty straight forward for the Hawk. They scored just one run in the top of the first inning but, with lee on the mount, the AMCATS weren't able to answer in the bottom of the inning or at any other point in the game.

The Hawks opened their lead up in the bottom of the second, scoring five more runs, making the score 6-0. They would add two more in the top of the third to take a commanding 8-0 lead.

They would go on to score five more runs in the top of the fourth and two more in the top of the fifth, scoring in every inning, giving them a 15-0 lead at the end of four and a half. In the bottom of the fifth, Lee, who seemed to be throwing harder in the later innings than she did at the beginning of the game, struck out the side to seal the deal and give the Hawks the 15-0 win in game one.

Game 2

Anna Maria could only accumulate two hits in the second game with Hannah Trudo and Anne Melanson getting the job done, each going one-for-two in the game. Victoria Falco started the game in the circle for the 'Cats and pitched four innings allowing six hits, eight runs, six of which were earned. She also struck out a batter. Senior Amanda Lemire came in in relief in the fifth inning and gave up two hits and no runs.

Falco was able to slow the production of the Becker offense, only allowing eight hits with Megan Klemanchuck and Sam Lee being the only two Hawks hitters with multi-hit games. Klemanchuck had a single and a double while Lee hit a single and a home run over the right center field fence. Lee also came back to pitch game two, allowing just the two hits and no runs, along with seven more strikeouts.

Becker scored their first two runs in the top of the first and the AMCATS went down in order in the bottom half of the inning.

The Hawks chipped away in this one, scoring another run in the second and two more in the third. It wasn't until the fourth, on Lee's three-run home run, that Becker would take the 8-0 lead which ended up being the final as Anna Maria was unable to get anything going in the bottom of the fourth or fifth innings. When the final out was made, Becker left with the 8-0 win and the non-conference sweep of the AMCATS.

Anna Maria is back on home turf in Paxton tomorrow morning at 11am and 1pm for a conference double header with St. Joe's (Maine)