Faith Rheault (14) signals to Emma Dunbar as both freshmen score on a second-inning double by Amanda Flower. (Photo by Mickey Curtis)
CLERMONT, Fla. – The Westfield State University softball team concluded its Florida trip by splitting a pair of games of Friday, March 14. Westfield pounded Farmingdale (N.Y.) State College, 14-0, then dropped a 3-0 decision to Wesleyan University to finish its spring trip with a 6-3 record.
In the first game, a 16-hit attack powered Westfield to its five-inning victory over Farmingdale. Westfield, which also worked eight walks, scored three runs in the second and third innings, two in the fourth, and six in the fifth.
Freshman Emma Dunbar carried the big stick, going 4 for 4 with three runs scored, three RBI and a double. Pitcher Emily Mailloux aided her own cause by going 3 for 4 with three runs scored and a double. Amanda Flower was 2 for 3 with a double and two RBI and freshman Elizabeth Kelly was 3 for 4 with a double.
Mailloux allowed three hits and no walks and struck out three in five innings.
An outstanding pitching performance by sophomore Susan Pardo powered Wesleyan to its third win in six starts. Pardo fired a one-hitter with 15 strikeouts in keeping the Owls off the scoreboard; she walked two. Westfield’s only hit was a double to left-center field by Emma Dunbar to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning.
Westfield’s other big blow was a towering fly to left field by pinch hitter Jamie Ricciardi that was caught near the fence with a runner on base in the fifth inning.
Wesleyan collected three of its nine hits in the first inning when it took a 1-0 lead. Pardo aided her own cause with an RBI double in the Cardinals’ two-run third inning.
Westfield pitcher Kelley Fluet allowed three earned runs, walked five and struck out three.
