Achzet Sets Career Home Run Record In Season-Opening DH

MORRISVILLE, N.Y. – Sophomore Lindsay Achzet (Johnstown, N.Y.) because the all-time program record holder in career home runs as the Wells College softball team posted back-to-back losses in their season opening doubleheader against Morrisville State College on Wednesday. Wells opens their 15th season as a varsity program with an 0-2 record while the Mustangs earn their first two victories of the year to improve to 2-9.

In the opening game, Wells fell by an 11-9 margin before posting a 14-13 defeat to conclude the day's action. The Express, who split the season series versus the Mustangs in 2013, scored 22 total runs in today's doubleheader, the most ever scored in the season's first two games for Wells.

After hitting three home runs as a freshman in 2013, Achzet homered in her third at-bat of the season to pick up her fourth collegiate home run. With the long ball, Achzet now holds sole possession of first place all-time in team history – she was previously one of four players to have reached three home runs in her career.

In the first game of the afternoon, Achzet led all players with three runs batted in after a 2-for-3 performance in which she struck the historic home run. Sophomore Karley Raczynski (Fonda, N.Y.), junior Charlee Weidman (New Berlin, N.Y.) and sophomore Kendrick Wilson (Collins, N.Y.) each rapped three hits in the contest. Raczynski collected her three hits in only four at-bats, setting a career-high single game total, while Weidman and Achzet each picked up two runs batted in and crossed the plate twice for the Express.

With one out in the home half of the third inning, Morrisville State hung five runs on Express starter Taylor Spranger (Schenevus, N.Y.) in her first collegiate appearance. With one out, Morrisville State picked up four straight hits that plated three runs before Jillian Mosely fouled out to Raczynski at first base. Two additional singles by the Mustangs plated runs before Baxter grounded out to Weidman at second base to retire the hosts in the third.

Trailing by five, Weidman led off the top of the fifth with a single before advancing to second base on a wild pitch. With one out, senior Theresa Hernandez (Dewitt, N.Y.) singled and advanced to second on a defensive miscue by Morrisville State. Wilson followed and drove in Weidman with a double before Achzet hammered a three-run home run to cut the Mustangs lead to 5-4.

Morrisville State scored three runs in the home half of the fifth to take an 8-4 lead before Wells countered in the top half of the sixth inning. Sophomore Marie Valliere (Chicopee, Mass.) walked to lead off the inning and, with one out, Weidman smacked a two run home run to cut into the lead. With sophomore Kylie Nishioka (Encinitas, Calif.) on second after singling and being sacrificed into scoring position by Hernandez, Wilson drove in Nishioka and later came around to score after a wild pitch to tie the game.

With one out, two Mustangs reached in the home half of the sixth inning with back-to-back singles before Beth Marr tripled home both runners before coming around to score on an RBI groundout by Tori Schultz to recapture a three run lead. In the Wells half of the seventh inning, the Express scored one run following the first collegiate hit and run driven in by senior Lyndsey Wells (Fairfax, Vt.), but Morrisville State pitcher Krista Baxter was able to strike out the final Wells batter to secure the victory.

Spranger drew the loss, allowing 11 earned runs on 16 hits by Morrisville State despite striking out five batters in her collegiate debut. Baxter picked up her first victory of the season for the Mustangs despite allowing 17 hits to the Express.

In the second game of the doubleheader, the Express built up a 12-0 lead but ultimately posted a 14-13 loss to the Mustangs. Nishioka picked up three hits in the leadoff spot for the Express while Achzet also secured as many hits from the cleanup spot. Raczynski went 2-for-4 and drove in a career-high four runs for the Express as all 10 Wells players that appeared in the game picked up a hit.

Wells saw three runs cross the plate in the first inning as the Express registered four hits, including a two-RBI single by Raczynski. The big frame for Wells came in the third inning as the Express slapped five hits and scored seven runs with two outs. Raczynski pounded a two-run double before Valliere picked up a two-run triple to account for the inning's major damage.

Leading 12-0, Maria Soto stroked a leadoff triple and later came around to score on a Liz Miller double to post their team's first run. In the bottom of the fourth, the Express recorded the inning's first out by inducing a popup but then went on to allow five runs on six hits to cut the deficit to 12-6. Miller registered her second extra base hit of the game, tripling to score two runs. In total, the Mustangs collected two extra base hits in the inning before a Courtney Purcell fly ball to center retired the hosts.

Patience proved to be a virtue in the bottom of the fifth inning as eight runs crossed the plate to grant Morrisville State a 14-12 lead. Ultimately, Wells pitching posted six walks and a hit by pitch in the inning as Schultz and Marr posted RBI singles alongside three bases loaded walks. Mosley's bases loaded walk in the inning was the free pass that ultimately granted the Mustangs the lead in the contest.

Wells made things interesting in the seventh inning as Weidman led off with a double. Valliere followed with a sacrifice bunt, moving Weidman closer to home plate. Nishioka drove home Weidman with an RBI single before advancing to second base on the ensuing throw to the plate. Moving to third base on an illegal pitch, Mustangs pitcher Erika Kenney induced a strikeout before a fly out to right field ended the game.

Spranger drew the loss in the second game of the doubleheader, allowing only six earned runs in four innings before yielding to Achzet who allowed eight earned runs in two innings. Kenney picked up the victory in the circle for Morrisville State, striking out five batters in seven innings despite allowing 18 hits to the Express.

Wells returns to action this Friday, Apr. 11 as they travel to the SUNY Institute of Technology to participate in a doubleheader beginning at 3:00 p.m.