Becker Takes Two from AMCAT Softball

LEICESTER, Mass. - The Becker College softball team swept their non-conference doubleheader against Anna Maria College Thursday afternoon with scores of 5-2 and 13-0. The sweep lifts the Hawks record to 6-8, while the AMCATS fall to 2-11.

GAME ONE: BECKER 5, ANNA MARIA 2

Becker jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. After Jennifer VanAlphen (Hudson, N.Y.) and Jessica Wheelahan (Watertown, Conn.) got on base by way of a hit by pitch, later advancing into scoring position on a wild pitch; Megan Klemanchuck (Pawtucket, R.I.) drove them home with a single up the middle.

Anna Maria would tie the game in the top of the third without collecting a hit. After Kayla Magierowski (Spencer, Mass.) and Elizabeth Haggerty (Charlton, Mass.) earned walks, Amanda Lemire (Methuen, Mass.) tried slap-bunting her way onto first base. Becker pitcher Kelsey Norberg's (Uxbridge, Mass.) throw to first was bobbled, allowing Magierowski to scamper home. An RBI groundout by Sarah Coley (Worcester, Mass.) tied at the game at 2-2.

The Hawks would take the lead back for good in the bottom of the third. Jaclyn Orangio (Maynard, Mass.) led off the inning with a triple into the right centerfield gap. Wheelahan would bring Orangio home with a groundout to short, putting Becker in front 3-2.

The Hawks added two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth when Katelyn MacLean (North Reading, Mass.) and Orangio made their way home on pair of wild pitches to make the final score 5-2. 

Norberg (4-1) earned the victory after allowing zero earned runs on just one hit, while striking out eight AMCATS. Angela Vousboukis (0-5) suffered the loss after giving up four earned runs on six hits.

GAME TWO: BECKER 13, ANNA MARIA 0 (FIVE INNINGS) 

The Hawks jumped out to an early lead when they scored six runs on four hits in the bottom of the first inning. Jaclyn Orangio started the inning with a leadoff walk. Orangio made her way to third when an attempt to throw her out on a theft of second sailed into centerfield. The speedy Orangio then trotted home on a wild pitch to put the Hawks on the board. Jennifer VanAlphen followed in Orangio's footsteps, making her way to third in the same fashion. VanAlphen would score when the AMCATS attempt to cut her down at third was throw away.

After Jessica Wheelahan singled and Megan Klemanchuck was hit by a pitch, pitcher Samantha Lee (Prospect, Conn.) helped her own cause with a bases clearing double to left field. Brianna Herforth (Peru, Mass.) plated Lee with double to left, upping the Hawks lead to 5-0. The Hawks capped off the six run inning on an RBI single by Vasia Murphy (Dracut, Mass.).

The Hawks padded their lead with three more runs in bottom of the second. After VanAlphen led off the inning with a double to centerfield, Wheelahan drove her home with double into the left centerfield gap. Klemanchuck would follow with a two-run blast to centerfield to make the score 9-0.

Becker finished their scoring with four more runs in the bottom of the third. Klemanchuck drove in three more runs when she belted a bases loaded double into right center. A Lee RBI single accounted for the Hawks final run of the game.

Wheelahan went 4 for 6 on the day with four runs scored and two RBI. Klemanchuck finished her monster day going 3 for 5 with seven RBI.

Sabrina Carreira (West Hartford, Conn.) led Anna Maria with a 3 for 5 performance.

Lee (2-5) earned the shutout after allowing just four hits, while Ally Hamelin (Greenfield, Mass.) suffered the loss for the AMCATS.

Anna Maria with host GNAC rival Saint Joseph's on Wednesday, April 6^th at 7:00 p.m. Becker will return to action on Saturday, April 2^nd with an NECC tilt at Southern Vermont beginning at noon.