Softball Walks Off in Season Opener

Leesburg, Fla. (March 12, 2022) – The Western New England Softball team, on their first Day of spring ball, defeated the Wheaton College Lyons in a close battle for a final score of 3-2.

How It Happened:

In the top of the first inning, Megan Beebe started pitching for the Golden Bears and only allowed one RPI and stuck out two batters at bat. In the bottom of the first, with two outs and one on base, the Golden Bears Kailey Carrano hit a single up the middle while Cori Rizzo scored on a run and M. Mason hit a triple into right field for Carrano to score on another run and put the Golden Bears up 2-1 entering the second inning. Beebe allowed two hits in the top of the second and struck out 2 batters again. Wheaton got there third out trying to advance to third, for a scoreless inning. The Golden Bears had three straight hits that were grounded out to end the second.

The third inning was the same for Wheaton and the Golden Bears. Both teams got three outs with only four batters at bat while having zero runs. The Lyons grounded two outs and one strikeout in the top of the fourth for another scoreless inning. The Golden Bears also went without scoring in the fourth. Second up to bat was P. Baca who advanced to third, but Brianna Floyd popped up a fly ball that was caught at third base, and another strikeout closed out the inning with still a score at 2-1.

An RBI started the fifth inning for Wheaton that allowed a run to tie the score at 2-2. The Golden Bears switched pitchers, and Ava Blanchard pitched one strikeout and another pitch that was grounded out for Wheaton's third out of the inning. With two more scoreless innings the Golden Bears won the game in the bottom of the eighth with a walk-off by Lizzie Weston for a final score of 3-2.

Around The Diamond:

• Western New England's Carrano, Madison Mason, and Weston recorded RBIs, and Weston had a SAC fly to close out the game.
• Starting pitcher Beebe pitched in 4.1 innings and seven strikeouts. The relief pitcher, Blanchard pitched in the final 3.2 innings and had three strikeouts.
• Western New England scored three runs in 10 hits on the game, giving up two runs on seven hits.

Up Next:

The Golden Bears continue their Florida trip with a double header Sunday March 13. Their first opponent is Wesleyan University-Conn. at 9:45 a.m., and then Mount Saint Mary College at 12 p.m., both taking place at Hancock Park in Clermont, Florida.

Wheaton University faces Rutgers University-Camden at 3:15 p.m. and St. Lawrence University at 5:15 p.m.  March 13, in Florida as well.