Softball Wins Game One 8-2; Drops Second 3-0

Boxscore Game One - Boxscore Game Two

Springfield, Mass. - Senior Tara DeMontier (Worcester, Mass.) had three hits while junior Sara Puglisi (Amsterdam, NY) bounced back from a loss yesterday to pitch six innings, surrendering only two runs as the AIC softball squad took game one 8-2 before dropping the second contest of the afternoon 3-0 to the Southern New Hampshire Penmen Saturday. The split pushes the Yellow Jackets to 14-17 overall and 5-11 in the conference, while Southern New Hampshire goes to 7-10 overall and 4-6 in the Northeast-10.

AIC's biggest output of the two games came in the third inning of the first contest when the team posted three scores. After sophomore Michelle Franey (Abington, Mass.) and junior Kellie Brown (Gill, Mass.) walked and DeMontier singled, junior shortstop Deanna Zanetti (Hampden, Mass.) hit a pop up to center field that was misplayed allowing all three base runners to touch home.

With a 3-0 edge, the Yellow Jackets tacked on two more scores when Zanetti reached on an error by the third baseman, allowing base runners Kayla Donnelly (Pittsfield, Mass.) and DeMontier to score in the fifth inning.

Brown earned the first RBI of the day after singling home Nicole Benoit (Walpole, Mass.) who reached on an error and advanced to second in the sixth. AIC grabbed one more unearned run after Donnelly ripped a ball to first base and reached on an error, allowing Brown to score from second.  

After the Penmen earned two scores and AIC added one more, the game concluded in an 8-2 victory for the Yellow Jackets.  Megan Nickerson pitched a flawless seventh in relief for AIC.

In the second game, Southern New Hampshire posted two runs in the third and one in the fourth to earn a split and the game two win. Sara Swepston (Dallas, Pa.) pitched six innings allowing only three runs, but got no run support, as AIC was unable to earn the much needed sweep.

Donnelly and DeMontier had the only two hits, as Penmen starter Mary Bradford went the distance striking out five.

The Yellow Jackets will hit the road to face Stonehill Tuesday afternoon at 3:00 pm