Softball Suffers Back-To-Back Losses To SUNYIT

MARCY, N.Y. – The Wells College softball team was swept by the host Wildcats from the SUNY Institute of Technology on Friday. With the losses, Wells (0-4, 0-4 NEAC) remains winless on the season while the Wildcats improve to 5-11 (3-1 NEAC) after earning their second and third North Eastern Athletic Conference victories of the season. SUNYIT captured a 10-0 victory in five innings to open play on the afternoon before securing an 8-1 win in the day's second game.

In the opening game, sophomore Karley Raczynski (Fonda, N.Y.) picked up both of her team's hits as the Wildcats pitchers were able to stymie the Express bats in the 10-0 victory. The Wildcats scored at least two runs in each inning to conclude the game after reaching the 10 run limit after five-and-a-half innings.

SUNYIT capitalized on two Wells errors in the home half of the first, plating two runs with only one hit. Offensively, the Wildcats recorded four hits in the second inning and scored four runs total in the frame. The big hit in the second inning came off the bat of Kiersten Albertson, who slammed a two-run double to left field. The Express made four errors across the final two innings of play alone, allowing the hosts to plate four total runs across that span.

Wells pitcher Taylor Spranger (Schenevus, N.Y.) allowed only four earned runs in the contest after giving up nine hits. The six errors for the Express, a season-high mark, were responsible for six total unearned runs on the team's pitching line. Jessica Patterelli struck out six Wells batters and allowed only the two hits to Raczynski before yielding to Bridget Ashmore who chipped in with a scoreless inning of relief, striking out two batters.

In the second game, Wells struck for a run in the top of the first inning but ultimately lost by a final score of 8-1. The Express only mustered four hits throughout the game as SUNYIT pitching again limited the damage offensively with seven strikeouts.

Two Wells batters reached on errors in the first inning before Spranger helped her own cause, pulling an RBI single to right field to plate junior Charlee Weidman (New Berlin, N.Y.) to score the game's first run. The Express defense committed four errors in the bottom of the first, allowing the Wildcats to quickly assume a 4-1 lead. SUNYIT would not look back, scoring four more runs throughout the remainder of the game to capture the 8-1 win against the Express.

Spranger allowed only five earned runs in six total innings. Fallon Reinold struck out four batters in four innings for SUNYIT while Ashmore struck out three in as many innings in relief.

The Express open their home calendar on Saturday, Apr. 12 as they host the Wildcats of Cazenovia College in a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m.