Wells Challenges Defending NEAC Softball Champs

Wells Challenges Defending NEAC Softball Champs

The Wells College softball team opened its North Eastern Athletic Conference season with two home games Wednesday, March 29 against Keuka College. The visiting Wolves won 6-1 in the opening game, and Wells stretched Keuka to extra innings in the second game before Keuka won 9-3 in eight innings.

Keuka is the defending NEAC softball champions and has won seven of the last 10 conference titles, and was picked second in the conference preseason poll. Keuka improved its overall record to 3-3 and stands at 2-0 in the NEAC. Wells is 0-6 overall and 0-2 in the NEAC.

Wells returns to action Friday at 3:45 p.m. for two games at home against NEAC opponent Penn College.

Keuka 6, Wells 1

The Wolves took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but Wells came back to tie the score in the bottom of the fourth inning on a solo home run by Naomi Kubo to left field. It was the first home run of the season for Wells, and the first home run hit at the new home field of the Express at the Wells Turf Field complex.

Keuka went back in front with four runs in the fifth inning and added one more in the sixth.

Kubo took the loss in the circle for Wells in four and a third innings of work. Jessica Conover pitched the last two and two-thirds innings and recorded three strikeouts.

Keuka 9, Wells 3 (8 inn.)

Wells rallied from two deficits to force extra innings against the defending conference champions. The Express fell behind 1-0 in the top of the third, but in the bottom of the third Wells answered on an RBI single from Naomi Kubo to bring home Jessica Conover.

Keuka went back in front with two runs in the top of the sixth.

With two outs in the bottom of the seventh and Shelby Medovich on second, Kubo blasted a double to left field to bring home Medovich. Kubo advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on an infield error to tie the score 3-3.

The eighth inning was played under international tie break rules. Keuka scored six runs in the top of the eighth and went on to the win.

Baylee Pearce pitched eight strong innings for Wells. She allowed just two earned runs and two walks, with seven strikeouts. Kubo and DiMino had two hits each for the Express, and Sydney Cullen had a double.