Apr 29, 2007 Wellesley Capture 2007 NEWMAC Softball Championship SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Wellesley College junior
starter Jenna Harvey (London, Ontario) fired a
no-hitter, striking out 10 and walking four in seven complete
innings of work as the sixth-seeded Blue defeated No. 3 Babson
College, 1-0, this afternoon in the championship game of the 2007
New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Softball
Tournament at Springfield College's Potter Field.
The Wellesley College softball team, which is in just its third
year of existence, has captured its first-ever NEWMAC title and has
earned a berth into the NCAA Division III Tournament. The Blue
(22-12) did so by going a perfect 4-0 on the week, beating No. 3
Babson and No. 2 Wheaton on Wednesday by scores of 2-0 and 11-8,
respectively, as Wellesley then knocked off top-seeded SC yesterday
(4-2), and capped its championship run with the 1-0 win today.
With today's score still knotted at zero going into the bottom
half of the seventh inning, the Blue needed some offense if it were
to avoid extra innings. Sophomore Amanda Tai (Melrose,
Mass.) reached base to start the seventh frame when she
got hit by a pitch. After a sacrifice bunt from sophomore
Beej Grundlock (Blackwood, N.J.) to advance Tai to
second, freshman Ilana Orloff (Weston, Mass.)
reached on an error as Grundlock remained at second. Freshman
leadoff hitter Megan Wood (Jacksonville, Fla.)
then came to the plate and delivered a clutch hit to right center
to drive in Tai for the winning run.
Despite the loss, Babson College junior righty Jess Bryn
(Safety Harbor, Fla.) pitched great in defeat for the
Beavers. The junior allowed just three hits in the game and the one
earned run, while striking out seven and walking just two. Bryn
falls to 7-5 overall on the season, as Babson is now 25-16-1
overall on its campaign.
Wellesley College has received the automatic bid into the NCAA
Division III Softball Tournament with its performance this weekend
and will learn of its opponent and date of competition at a later
time.
|