#4 Springfield Edges #5 Babson In NEWMAC Softball Tournament Opener

BOX SCORE

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- Fifth-seeded Babson College came up just short in the opening game of the NEWMAC Double-Elimination Tournament at Springfield College on Thursday, as the Beavers fell to the fourth-seeded Pride, 5-4. With the loss, Babson (19-21) will now take on the loser of today's Wellesley-Clark matchup in an elimination game on Saturday at 10 a.m. at Coast Guard.

Senior Kaitlyn Clark went 2-for-3 with an RBI to pace the Beavers' offense, while first-year Annie Dursema went 2-for-4 with a run driven in. Junior Brittney Russo also knocked in a run, while junior pitcher Danielle Liska (13-9) suffered the loss after giving up four earned runs on five hits, walking two and striking out five in six innings.

Samantha Rhodes (8-9) earned the win for Springfield, giving up four runs - two earned - on 10 hits, walking one and fanning two in seven innings of work. Aimee Cassella went 2-for-3 with a homer, a run scored, and three RBIs, while Angela Atkins went 1-for-2 with two runs and two RBIs.

Babson grabbed an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first, as senior captain Courtney Thurston led off with a single, stole second, and scored on an outfield error. Dursema later singled in first-year Jess Pashos from second, giving the visitors an early two-run cushion.

Springfield answered with two runs of its own in the bottom of the first, as Atkins singled and Cassella blasted a two-run homer. The duo then combined to give the Pride their first lead in the third inning, as Atkins reached on an error, stole second, and scored on a single by Cassella.

The Beavers tied the game at 3-3 in the top of the fourth, when first-year Nicole Latini tripled and scored on a single to left by Clark. However, Springfield grabbed the lead for good in the bottom half of the inning, as Atkins knocked in two runs with a two-out single to center to make it 5-3 in favor of the Pride.

Babson got one run back in the sixth when three straight singles by Dursema, Clark, and first-year Kayla Davis loaded the bases with one out. A walk to Russo then forced in first-year pinch-runner Jillian Smith to make it 5-4, but Rhodes induced a pop out and a line out to get out of the inning.

The Beavers threatened again in the top of the seventh, as Pashos hit a one-out single to center. However, Rhodes once again pitched out of trouble, getting the final two batters pop out and ground out to short to clinch the 5-4 Springfield victory.