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Apr 27, 2008

Springfield Captures 2008 NEWMAC Softball Title

WELLELSEY, Mass. -- With a 2-1 extra innings win over defending champion, Wellesley College, the Springfield Pride won the 2008 New England Women's and Men's Athletics Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Softball Championship.  Springfield, coming from the consolation bracket, needed a 2-1 win over Wellesley earlier in the afternoon to force the deciding game.

With today's three victories -- one over Wheaton and two over Wellesley -- Springfield's overall record is 29-15. The 29 wins is 5th most in the school's history, and most since winning 30 in 2000.
 
As the NEWMAC's automatic qualifier, Springfield will be advancing to the NCAA Tourney for the first time since 2000, when the Pride was 30-17-1.  To win the NEWMAC tournament after losing to Smith in the opening round, the Pride had to win five games in the past two days. In doing so, they eliminated, in order, #5-seeded Babson, #4-seeded Clark, #2-seeded Wheaton, and #1-seeded Wellesley.  

As the runner-up, Wellesley (26-8-1) must hope for an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament.  The tournament seeds will be announced Sunday, May 4th.

In the championship game, Samantha Rhodes (Mendon, Mass.) returned to the circle again for the Pride, picking up her third win of the day and her fifth in the last two days.  Rhodes, now 22-5 on the season, is Springfield's first 20-game winner since Brianne Pearson (22-7) in 2003. 

Springfield struck first, with a bases-empty homerun from Michelle Wlosek (Nutley, N.J.) in the top of the second to take a 1-0 lead. After two scoreless innings, Wellesley's Alex Warren (Delta, B.C.) tied the game with her own solo shot over the rightcenter field fence in the bottom of the fourth.

Springfield threatened to break the tie a half inning later by loading the bases with only one out.  But Wellesley starter Barbarajean Grundlock (Blackwood, N.J.) fanned Angela Atkins (East Haddam, Conn.) and Jessica Hillman (Seymour, Conn.) to end the inning and maintain the tie.

Entering the seventh in a 1-1 tie, both pitchers retired the side in order, forcing the game into extra innings.

In the top of the eighth, Atkins was placed on second according to the tie-breaking rule. Atkins advanced to third on a sacrifice from Hillman, then trotted home on Wlosek's double to rightcenter to give the Pride a 2-1 lead.  

In the bottom of half of the inning, Orloff was placed on second and advanced to third on Megan Wood's (Jacksonville, Fla.) sacrifice bunt.  However, Rhodes forced a pop out and then got a ground out to end the game and give Springfield the 2-1 Championship win.

For Wellesley, Grundlock pitched eight innings allowing two runs, only one earned, off of seven hits.  She struck out 13 batters and walked three.  Offensively, Ilana Orloff (Weston, Mass.) was 2-4 while Warren added the only RBI for the Blue.

For Springfield, Rhodes pitched all eight, scattering eight hits while striking out seven and walking none.  Denise Fumicello (Brockton, Mass.) picked up two hits for the Pride while Wlosek's two hits drove in two runs.

Complete tournament information, including recaps and box scores, can be found at: http://www.wellesley.edu/athletics/athletics/softball/newmac/index.html