DiBella Tallies First Homerun of the Season in Day Three Split

CLERMONT, Fla. – The Endicott softball team competed in Day Three of the Dot Richardson Spring Games on Tuesday morning. The Gulls faced two regional foes back to back falling to MCLA 5-4 and defeating Southern Maine 7-4. Endicott improves to 2-4 on the season as they look ahead to a much needed day off tomorrow. The Gulls will take the field next on Thursday, March 19^th as they face Western Connecticut and Clarkson for a DH at 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.

Game One: Endicott 4, MCLA 5

Game one was a tight battle as the Trailblazers just edged the Blue and Green 5-4. For the Gulls newcomer Mikaela Mallozzi (Shelton, Conn.) and sophomore Leigh Wyman (South Freeport, Maine) split duties in the circle each pitching just over three innings and combining for six strikeouts. For MCLA, junior Rachel Quackenbush (Hoosick Falls, N.Y.) hurled a complete game while boasting an impressive 14 strikeouts in the victory.

The Trailblazers started the scoring in the top of the first as junior Abigail Lucas (Braintree, Mass.) grounded out with runners on second and third to send junior Michaela DiNicola (Lanesboro, Mass.) home for the 1-0 advantage. Endicott answered back in the bottom of the second inning as freshman Danielle Stratton (Agawam, Mass.) singled with Graney on third to send her in for the game-tying run.

After hurling a 1-2-3 top of the third the Blue and Green posted a strong offense in the bottom of the third to take the lead. With the bases loaded, junior Jamie Corda (Higganum, Conn.) reached base off an error which allowed junior Sam DiBella (Danvers, Mass.) to run home. With the bases still loaded, Stratton earned her second RBI of the game as she singled to send sophomore Julia McNeill (Hauppauge, N.Y.) home to give the Gulls a 3-1 lead.

MCLA quickly answered back in the top of the fourth as she recorded three runs to take the 4-3 lead. However, the lead would not last for long sophomore Chrissy Gikas (Danvers, Mass.) reached home plate off a suicide squeeze by McNeill to tally the game tying run.

Despite strong efforts, including a 1-2-3 top of the fifth, MCLA was able to score the game winning run in the top of the sixth to secure the win.

Game Two: Endicott 7, Southern Maine 4

In game two the Gulls were eager to take down their regional foe, as junior Courtney Blake hurled her second straight complete game with her seven innings. The pitcher threw four strikeouts on 36 batters faced as she improves to 2-1 on the season. 

DiBella posted one of her strongest games of the spring tournament as she led with two ribbies while hitting the first homerun of the season to secure the 7-4 victory. Junior Emily Hoffman (Malden, Mass.) also tied for the game-high two RBIs with DiBella as she started the scoring in the first inning as she singled to send McNeill and Beauchemin home for the early 2-0 lead.

The Huskies answered back in the bottom of the third as freshman Taylor Lux (Arundel, Maine) singled with the bases loaded to send junior Mary Caron (Lewiston, Maine) around the bases. With the bases still loaded freshman Amber Kelly (Berwick, Maine) reached home plate on a throwing error to tally the game-tying run.

The lead would not last for long as the Blue and Green quickly followed with two runs in the top of the fourth. With two outs and runners on first and second, freshman Casie Beauchemin (Lincoln, R.I.) advanced to first on an error by the third baseman which allowed both Hoffman and freshman Margaret Martzolf (Port Saint Lucia, Fla.) to score for the 4-2 lead.

In the bottom of the fifth Lux would get her second RBI of the day as she doubled to send senior Kristen Duross (Saco, Maine) home to get the Huskies within one. Again Endicott would rise to the occasion and followed with two more runs in the top of the sixth as DiBella ripped a homerun with freshman Danielle Stratton (Agawam, Mass.) on first to make it a 7-3 game. Southern Maine would send one more across home plate but the damage was done and the Gulls walked away with their second victory of the season.