WESTFIELD – After digging themselves into an early 4-0 hole, the Westfield State softball team scored nine unanswered runs, defeating Smith College, 9-5, in a nonconference game Monday afternoon at Alumni Field.
Westfield State’s Bri Tortora launches a 3-run home run vs. Smith College at Alumni Field. (Photo courtesy of Westfield State Sports)
Trailing 4-1 entering the bottom of the fourth inning, the Owls scored four runs in the frame, including a game-tying three-run home run by freshman left fielder Bri Tortora (Worcester, Mass.). Tortora finished 3-for-5 on the day, including her first collegiate home run.
Second baseman Sydney Ezold (Westfield, Mass.) walked to start the rally, and then center fielder Emma Dunbar (Weymouth, Mass.) singled through the left side of the infield before Tortora launched the ball deep into the woods behind the left field fence to even the score at 4.
Shortstop Liz Kelly (Quincy, Mass.) continued the rally with a single past the third baseman and advanced to second on a Julia Sullivan groundout. In the next at bat, sophomore third baseman Maddy Atkocaitis (Westfield, Mass.) lined an RBI single to right, scoring Kelly from second. Atkocaitis also drove in the Owls first run with a single in the third inning, and went 3-for-4.
Westfield added four more runs in the sixth, batting around in the inning with the help of two Smith errors and a wild pitch. Sullivan, Ezold, and Dunbar each had RBI singles in the inning before Rowan Turner (Prairie Village, Kan.) came in to pitch in relief and induced a pop out with the bases loaded to end the inning.
Sophomore Michaela LeBlanc (Marblehead, Mass.) earned her first collegiate win for the Owls, scattering six hits and allowing one run in four innings of relief. Freshman Saxon Bresnahan (Quincy, Mass.) started in the circle for Westfield, surrendering four runs, three earned, on six hits in three innings.
Junior Natalie Burchat (9-7) took the loss for the Pioneers, giving up nine runs, five earned, on 15 hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Center fielder Brittney Blocker (Seattle, Wash.) and second baseman Alyssa Pioggia (East Longmeadow, Mass.) led Smith with two hits and an RBI each.
Westfield State’s next scheduled games against MCLA on Tuesday, April 26 have been postponed to Wednesday due to the weather forecast.
Smith College finishes its regular season with a 13-20 overall record. Westfield State currently sits at 14-21, with a 6-4 record in conference play. – Courtesy of Westfield State Sports
