Softball

Blazers Defeat Wesleyan, 10-2, and Thomas, 6-5; Finish Florida Trip With 6-2 Record

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

CLERMONT, Fla.--The Hood College softball team (9-3) registered a five-inning 10-2 victory over Wesleyan University and hung on for a 6-5 win over Thomas College to finish their spring break trip at the National Training Center with a 6-2 record.

The two-game sweep Friday gave Hood its ninth win of the season, eclipsing the Blazers' win total from 2012 (8-31).

In game one versus the Cardinals, Alexa Sivic, Ashley Fouracde, Kali Ball and Carly Farr all drove in two runs apiece and the Blazers enjoyed a pair of four-run innings. Wesleyan manufactured a run in the top of the first on a single, a stolen base, a groundout and a bunt single to take the early lead. Hood roared back though in the bottom half and scored four times, highlighted by a two-run double to left by Sivic. Ball also knocked in two with a sharp single to center. Wesleyan's Amy Lindland doubled in teammate Lexi Parr with a double down the rightfield line to cut the deficit to 4-2, but Hood got that run back in its half of the third when Liz Decembrino singled in Ball from third with a single to center.

Hood stretched its lead to 9-2 in the fourth thanks to a run-scoring double by Farr and a two-run home run by Fourcade, her first of the spring break trip and second of the season. Sivic crossed the plate with Hood's ninth run of the game following a miscue by the Cardinals' leftfielder.

Hood clinched the game in walk-off fashion in the bottom of the fifth. Casey Dunn led off the inning with a double down the rightfield line, then Amy Hagerdon singled to put runners at the corners. Dunn scored on a fielder's choice by Farr to give Hood the win.

Keerstie Robinson had another strong outing in the circle, working all five innings and allowing two earned runs on six base hits with one strikeout and one walk.

In game two, the Blazers were aided by three straight walks and put up a four-spot in the top of the second inning. Dunn drilled a bases-clearing triple to the gap in right-center but was gunned down at the plate. Hood put up single runs in the third and fourth innings by virtue of a Terrier fielding error and a wild pitch.

The Terriers capitalized on several Blazer miscues on defense to score four runs of their own in the fourth inning. Another defensive lapse in the fifth inning led to Thomas' fifth run but leftfielder Alexis Briscoe squeezed a high fly ball in foul territory to retire the side and the score remained 6-5 in favor of Hood.

The Blazers tried to tack on some insurance runs in the top of the seventh after Ball singled, Jenkins bunted her way on and Jackie Wenzel singled to load the bases with one out. Dunn then hit a ground ball to the shortstop Alyssa Eugley who fired to the plate to nab Ball at home. Hagerdon grounded out to Eugley on a sharp liner right at her glove and the Blazers came up empty.

Thomas threatened in the seventh after Eugley reached on a bunt single and advanced to second on a sacrifice. She then stole third and Taylor Bergeron stepped to the plate representing the winning run. Starter Jennifer Rutherford got Bergeron to fly out to Hagerdon in right and the next batter Samantha Moore popped up to Jenkins at first base and the Blazers escaped with the victory.

Fourcade extended her hit streak to 12 in a row and has accumulated 14 RBI in Hood's 12 games, more than any Blazer tallied all of last year.

Hood will enjoy a week off before traveling to Messiah College for a Commonwealth Conference doubleheader on Saturday, March 23 beginning at 1 p.m.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Kali Ball

#26 Kali Ball

SS/OF/C
5' 5"
Junior
Alexis Briscoe

#3 Alexis Briscoe

OF
5' 7"
First Year
Liz Decembrino

#21 Liz Decembrino

OF/3B
5' 2"
Sophomore
Casey Dunn

#4 Casey Dunn

2B
5' 6"
Senior
Carly Farr

#17 Carly Farr

OF/SS
5' 3"
Sophomore
Amy Hagerdon

#12 Amy Hagerdon

SS/OF
5' 6"
Junior
Keerstie Robinson

#22 Keerstie Robinson

P
5' 7"
First Year
Jennifer Rutherford

#15 Jennifer Rutherford

P/OF
5' 6"
Junior
Alexa Sivic

#7 Alexa Sivic

C/1B
5' 10"
First Year
Jackie Wenzel

#9 Jackie Wenzel

3B/2B/OF
5' 3"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Kali Ball

#26 Kali Ball

5' 5"
Junior
SS/OF/C
Alexis Briscoe

#3 Alexis Briscoe

5' 7"
First Year
OF
Liz Decembrino

#21 Liz Decembrino

5' 2"
Sophomore
OF/3B
Casey Dunn

#4 Casey Dunn

5' 6"
Senior
2B
Carly Farr

#17 Carly Farr

5' 3"
Sophomore
OF/SS
Amy Hagerdon

#12 Amy Hagerdon

5' 6"
Junior
SS/OF
Keerstie Robinson

#22 Keerstie Robinson

5' 7"
First Year
P
Jennifer Rutherford

#15 Jennifer Rutherford

5' 6"
Junior
P/OF
Alexa Sivic

#7 Alexa Sivic

5' 10"
First Year
C/1B
Jackie Wenzel

#9 Jackie Wenzel

5' 3"
Junior
3B/2B/OF