Gulls Sweep Thomas (Me.) In Home Opener To Extend Win Streak To Eight

BEVERLY, Mass. – The Endicott softball team came away with a doubleheader sweep in the Gulls' home opener (5-2, 5-4) versus Thomas College (Me.) Thursday evening at the Softball Field to push their win streak to eight straight games.

GAME 1 – Endicott 5, Thomas (Me.) 2

Endicott senior RHP Courtney Blake (East Islip, N.Y.) threw a complete-game, six-hitter as she gave up just two runs (both earned), scattered six hits, walked one and sat down five by way of the K en route to her fifth win (5-3) of the season.

Junior RHP Sonja Morse (South China, Maine) suffered the loss on six innings in the circle in which she allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits and issued six walks in addition to striking out a game-high nine batters.

The Terriers lit up the scoreboard first on freshman designated player Sydney LeBourveau's (Jericho, Vt.) two-RBI single to left in the top of the third inning with one out to plate freshman shortstop Lexi Colpack (Franklin, N.H.) and junior left fielder Madison Bentz (Ottawa, Ill.) for the guests' only runs of the game.

Endicott answered in the bottom of the frame with sophomore first baseman Margaret Martzolf's (Port Saint Luce, Fla.) two-RBI single to right field with two outs to score junior second baseman Chrissy Gikas (Danvers, Mass.) and freshman designated player Gina DeMilt (Princeton Junction, N.J.) to knot the score at two apiece.

The Gulls added three insurance runs in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI single up the middle off the bat of DeMilt for her first career hit to bring around senior catcher Emily Hoffman (Malden, Mass.).

With runners on second and third and one out, sophomore center fielder Casie Beauchemin's (Lincoln, R.I) RBI squeeze bunt wreaked havoc as sophomore shortstop Danielle Stratton (Agawam, Mass.) crossed the plate followed by DeMilt (unearned) on a fielding error by the catcher before Beauchemin was gunned down by the catcher as she was trying to advance to third in the midst of all the chaos.

Endicott held on to win (5-2), good for the Gulls' seventh straight victory heading into game two.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Blake registered her seventh complete-game of the season and has three wins in her past three appearances (two starts).
• Junior right fielder Julia McNeill (Smithtown, N.Y.) cranked a double to left field for the team's only extra-base hit in the game.
• DeMilt scored two runs for the first time in her career.

FOR THE FOES

• Colpack tallied two of the team's six hits in game one with one double, one walk, one stolen base, and one run scored.
• Bentz registered one hit and scored one run.
• LeBourveau drove in two runs with her single to left field in the top of the third inning.

GAME 2 – Endicott 5, Thomas 4

Martzolf's double to center field in the bottom of the first got the Gulls on the scoreboard early as Gikas and McNeill came around to score.

The Terriers managed to get one back the next inning as Bentz plated freshman center fielder Katie Taylor (Lebanon, Maine) on a ball scorched to center field and tied it up, 2-2, in the top of the third on LeBourveau's solo shot to center field with one out.

McNeill's bat helped the Gulls grab the lead back as she sent a pitch looping into center field for an RBI double as freshman center fielder KK Palmerino (Glenmont, N.Y.) crossed the plate in the bottom of the fourth.

Endicott tacked on two more runs in the fifth and sixth innings with senior pinch-hitter Jamie Corda's (Higganum, Conn.) RBI single to left field and Hoffman's RBI single to right field in the sixth to score freshman left fielder Hayley Arduini (Southington, Conn.) and DeMilt, respectively.

The Terriers put together a two-out rally in the top of the seventh sophomore pitcher Mikaela Mallozzi (Shelton, Conn.) retired the first two batters before a walk, single and another walk loaded the bases to end Mallozzi's day.

Laura Somerville (Suffield, Conn.) then came on in relief and faced three batters (one walk, one hit). She recorded the final out with a strikeout swinging on a 1-2 count with the bases loaded to earn her first career save.

Mallozzi earned the win (2-1) as she tossed 6 2/3 innings and gave up four runs (all earned) on seven hits (one home run), issued two walks and fanned two batters.

Thomas' senior pitcher Faith Robinson (Auburn, N.H.) was tagged with the loss (0-6) on 6 innings pitched, and allowed five runs (four earned) on nine hits and two walks.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Somerville earned her first career save as she came into the top of the seventh and recorded the final out by way of the K.
• The Gulls had three student-athletes with a pair of hits (Palmerino, McNeill, Martzolf).
• Palmerino recorded her first career hit in the second inning with a single to center field and finished the day 2-for-4 at the plate with one run scored.
• Martzolf has driven in at least one run in six straight games and has a pair of RBI in the past three games.
• Martzolf extended her hit streak to nine games and has hit safely in 11 of the Gulls' 14 games this season.
• McNeill extended her hit streak to eight games with a 2-for-4 effort (one double) and one run scored in game two as she has one double in each of the Gulls' past three games.
• DeMilt and Arduini each swiped one base in the game as DeMilt stole her first career base in the sixth inning.

FOR THE FOES

• Colpack paced the Terriers with three hits in a 3-for-5 effort at the plate and one run scored. 
• LeBourveau swiped one base in the first inning in addition to her 2-for-3 showing at the plate with two RBI, including a solo shot to center field in the third inning.
• Taylor stroked a double to left field in the second inning and scored one run.
• Bentz recorded one hit and scored one run, while junior first baseman Korrie Laren (Blackstone, Mass.) roped an RBI single to left field in the seventh inning with two outs.

NOTES

• Endicott is 3-0 all-time versus Thomas (Me.) and 2-0 at home, as the Gulls defeated the Terriers, 14-0, in the only previous meeting before today on March 14, 2001.

WHAT'S NEXT

Endicott (9-5, 2-0 CCC) hosts Nichols for a doubleheader on Saturday, April 2 at 12:00/2:00 p.m., while Thomas (Me.) (4-11, 0-0 NAC) welcomes the University of New England to Waterville, Maine for a doubleheader on Wednesday, April 6 at 3:00/5:00 p.m. 

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