Softball Drops Two Games to Endicott, Lose in CCC Championship Series

Beverly, MA (May 13, 2023) – The Golden Bears marched into the CCC championship series against Endicott College after a massive win over Wentworth yesterday at home. With two games today, the Golden Bears had to win two for the championship or one to force a winner-take-all game on Sunday. Game one saw the Gulls jump on the Golden Bears early and ride it to an 11-3 win in six innings. Game two saw both teams battle early, but Endicott would outlast the Golden Bears, put up five runs in the sixth inning and win 8-0. The Endicott Gulls won the CCC championship in two games.

Game 1: Endicott 11, Western New England 3

The Golden Bears had hope early in game one as they started the game with bases loaded and one out. However, Endicott pitcher Maria Hanchuk stayed poised and got the next two batters to pop up to squander the WNE chance. The Gulls offense fed off the momentum built up by their pitcher, and after the lead-off batter got on base, Raven Comtois launched a two-run home run over the right field fence. WNE pitcher Ava Blanchard sat the next three batters down in order to end the first inning. Hanchuk would keep the momentum on Endicott's side with a one, two, three inning, and the Gulls were back at bat. With an out in the second and a runner on third, Blanchard had a pitch go astray, and the runner scored to extend the lead to three. Taylor Keegan doubled to start the third inning for the Golden Bears. However, that is where she would stay, as the rest of the offense could not bring her in. 

The bottom of the third inning saw the Gulls tack four more runs on the board. DaSilva started it with a poke into left field, bringing two runs in. Then, after a pitching change that saw freshman Riley Kane enter the game, Dani Lear singled up the middle to bring DaSilva home. The score was 6-0 after that single. Kane would get a second out for the Golden Bears, but Chrissy Marotto would get a single and bring Lear home for the final run of the inning. After three innings, the Gulls were up 7-0. Again, the Golden Bears got the lead-off runner on but could not bring her in, and the Gulls kept rolling. An error by the Golden Bears saw another run score to make to score 8-0. The next Endicott batter would ground out to second but bring a ninth run home. The Golden Bears started to come to life in the top of the fifth inning facing the mercy rule. Cori Rizzo started it with a single through the left side of the infield, bringing Ines Baez Flores home. Next, Shea McDaniel scored on a throwing error by Endicott. That was followed up by Madison Mason doubling down the left-field line to get Rizzo home. The Golden Bears still trailed 9-3 after the top of the fifth inning, but they had some life. That carried into the bottom of the inning, where they kept the Gulls off the board.

The sixth inning would be the final one of game one as the Golden Bears were held scoreless in the top of the inning, and DaSilva would single up the middle, bringing home two runs to end the game. The Gulls took game one by a score of 11-3.

Inside The Diamond:

• The Golden Bear pitchers combined for five innings pitched, giving up 12 hits and 11 runs.
• Taylor Keegan led the Golden Bears with two hits in four at-bats. Keegan had a double with one of those hits.
• Endicott had five batters get two hits in game one. One of those batters, Raven Comtois, had a home run. 
• Emma DaSilva had four RBIs for the Gulls.
• The Golden Bears lost game one 11-3.

Game 2: Endicott 8, Western New England 0

Game two saw a pitching battle early. Both pitchers, Megan Beebe, and Jaylin Couto, kept the opposing team from getting much of an opportunity during the first four innings. Beebe did it through strikeouts, as she had seven strikeouts through four innings of play. Couto did it more by letting the defense make plays. The top of the fifth inning saw the Golden Bears get sent down one, two, three, and then Endicott struck in the bottom of the fifth inning. With a runner on first base, Raven Comtois hit her second home run of the day to deep center field, and the Gulls had a 2-0 lead. But it would not stop there. Emma DaSilva hit a double with two outs and that drove Lauren Misiaszek through the home plate, and the score was 3-0. Endicott would threaten to score more in the fifth, but Beebe would finish it and keep the deficit at three going into the sixth inning. 

The top of the sixth inning saw the Golden Bears get a runner on first via a single through the left side of the infield, but they could not get her in, and the deficit was locked in at three. The bottom of the sixth inning saw the Gulls load the bases against Beebe, and that would bring Riley Kane in to pitch for the Golden Bears. Unfortunately, the Raven Comtois was up at bat for the Gulls. Comtois singled through the left side of the infield, and the Gulls were up 5-0. Then, with bases loaded, Emma DaSilva launched a hit into left-center field. That hit cleared the bases and won the game, and the championship, for Endicott. The Golden Bears lost game two 8-0.

Inside The Diamond:

• Megan Beebe pitched five innings, striking out seven batters. Beebe let up six runs on nine hits.
• Jaylin Couto pitched six scoreless innings for the Gulls.
• Cori Rizzo went 2-3 in game two.
• Alex Ferriouolo went 1-2, with the hit being a single.
• The Golden Bears lose game two of the championship series 8-0.

Up Next: 

The Golden Bears will finish their season in the CCC championship series. They finish with a record of 28-16 (13-5 in conference). 

Endicott will move on to the NCAA tournament.