The New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference

NORTON, MA- The second-seeded Wheaton College softball team strung together six runs on eight hits during a nine-batter span in the second inning before scoring three times in the sixth to walk off with a 9-1 victory over number-six Smith College in the second round of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Tournament on Wednesday at Clark Field.

Wheaton improved to 29-12 after meeting Smith for the third straight postseason. The Lyons face Wellesley College on Saturday in a semifinal at 2:00 p.m., as the top-seeded Blue is hosting this weekend's tournament contests. Wellesley is ranked 22nd by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA). Smith fell to 14-22 and takes on number-four Clark University in an elimination game on Saturday at 10:00 a.m.

After being set down 1-2-3 in the first inning, Wheaton came alive in the second to capture a 6-0 lead. Eight of its nine batters during the frame recorded a hit, with two of the three outs being recorded on the bases. Junior Stacey Kelleher (Brockton, MA/Brockton) led off with a double before freshman Rachel Merrick (Methuen, MA/Central Catholic) singled her home with the first run. One out later, freshman Kristen Hunt (Milford, CT/Jonathan Law) started a string of six consecutive batters picking up hits.

Hunt and senior Alix Brozman (Chappaqua, NY/Horace Greeley) rapped consecutive singles, with Brozman driving in a run, before freshman Nicole DeRosa (Greenwich, CT/Greenwich Academy) laced an RBI double. Junior Brady Benton (Concord, NH/Concord) followed with a run-scoring single, and senior Audrey Poulton (Charlestown, RI/Chariho Regional) drove an RBI double into the right field gap. Classmate Erika Marini's (Pawtucket, RI/Saint Raphael Academy) base knock plated the final run.

Smith, which rallied from a 5-0 deficit for a 6-5 victory during the first round of the tournament earlier in the day, had designs on another comeback in its second contest. With her team trailing 6-0 in the top of the third inning, sophomore Laura Robitzek (Auburn, ME/Saint Dominic Regional) led off with a single before sophomore Megan Kiefer (Oak Park, IL/Oak Park & River Forest) and junior Crystal Fryer (Louisville, KY/Butler County) knocked consecutive base hits with one down to load the bases. However, Wheaton senior hurler Jodi Moynagh (Worcester, MA/Holy Name Central Catholic) fanned the final two batters.

In the sixth, Smith broke through, as junior Emily Hiltzik's (Westbury, NY/W. Tresper Clarke) single was her team's third of the inning and led to an outfield error that allowed a run to score.

Wheaton ended the game in the home half with three runs on two hits and three miscues. Brozman's RBI grounder made it 7-1, and DeRosa's flair double to right center plated the final two runs.

Hunt finished 3-for-3 with two runs and three stolen bases, while DeRosa was 2-for-3 with three RBI and a pair of doubles. Brozman had two RBI. In the circle, Moynagh yielded one unearned run on eight hits with six strikeouts and no walks, improving to 17-4 on the year.

Kiefer turned in a 3-for-3 effort with a double for Smith, while five other Pioneers had one hit apiece. Hiltzik suffered the loss, allowing six earned runs on eight hits in two innings, before senior Dezarai Fisher (Phoenix, AZ/Desert Vista) yielded three unearned runs on three hits in 3.1 frames. Each pitcher fanned two.

Second-Seeded Wheaton Grabs Six-Inning Win Over Number-Six Smith in Second Round of NEWMAC Softball Tournament