Beaulieu, McLaughlin Drive In Six Runs Each As Softball Makes Triumphant Return To Competition With 15-1, 14-5 Non-League Sweep Of Lyndon State
MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME SOFTBALL
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Allison Rollins Field, Buzzards Bay, Mass.
GAME 1 FINAL: MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME 15, LYNDON STATE 1 (5 INNINGS)
123 45 R H E
Lyndon State (0-1) 100 00 - 1 3 3
Massachusetts Maritime (1-0) 347 1x - 15 10 0
BATTERIES
LSC: Natalia Shams, Katelyn Willey (4) and Kasandra Locke
MMA: Janelle Beaulieu and Rachel Johnson
WP: Beaulieu (1-0) LP: Shams (0-1)
GAME 2 FINAL: MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME 14, LYNDON STATE 5 (5 INNINGS)
123 45 R H E
Lyndon State (0-2) 310 01 - 5 8 4
Massachusetts Maritime (2-0) 860 0x - 14 7 1
BATTERIES
LSC: Katelyn Willey, Natalia Shams (2) and Kasandra Locke
MMA: Janelle Beaulieu and Rachel Johnson
WP: Beaulieu (2-0) LP: Willey (0-1)
BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. -- Freshman pitcher Janelle Beaulieu (Buzzards Bay, Mass.) picked up a pair of complete-game victories and helped her own cause with three hits and six RBI at the plate as Massachusetts Maritime swept a non-league college softball doubleheader from Lyndon State by scores of 15-1 in the opener and 14-5 in the nightcap in season opening action for both squads Saturday afternoon at Allison Rollins Field.
The host Buccaneers (2-0) presented first year Head Coach Ashley Lorance with her first two collegiate victories in the triumphs, as Massachusetts Maritime scored 14 runs over the first three innings of both contests in making its first return to competition in two seasons. The hosts jumped out to a 3-1 first inning lead of the opener on RBI singles by senior Jess O’Meara (Stoneham, Mass.) and freshman Meghan Thibeault (Scituate, Mass.), and the Buccaneers added four more tallies in the second on a two-run double by Beaulieu, an RBI single by O’Meara and a run-scoring triple off the bat of sophomore Holly McLaughlin (Belmont, Mass.). Massachusetts Maritime iced its first game win with seven third inning runs, including two of which came on a Beaulieu single and three more on a bases-clearing double by McLaughlin that was followed by an RBI double off the bat of freshman Erin Eastman (Harwich, Mass.).
O’Meara, McLaughlin and Eastman each had a pair of hits in the opener for the Buccaneers, as Beaulieu also chipped in with two hits while allowing just three hits inside the circle and fanning three to pick up the victory. Sophomore Michelle Wilcox (Sheldon, Vt.) scored the lone run in the opening game setback for the visiting Hornets (0-2) on a wild pitch, as junior Natalia Shams (Swampscott, Mass.) suffered the setback on the mound in allowing just seven earned runs.
Lyndon State jumped out to a 3-0 first inning advantage in the nightcap on RBI groundouts by sophomore Melissa Morin (Lamoille, Vt.) and freshman Jaclyn Toney (Brattleboro, Vt.), but Massachusetts Maritime responded with eight tallies in the bottom of the frame, highlighted by a two-run double by McLaughlin, a two-run single by Beaulieu, an RBI single off the bat of junior Katie Maynard (Chelmsford, Mass.) and bases-loaded walk to freshman Rachel Johnson (South Chatham, Mass.), and after a run-scoring single by freshman Kasandra Locke (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) enabled the Hornets to slice their deficit in half in the top of the second, the Buccaneers added six more runs in the bottom of the inning, including a two-run double by freshman Stephanie Saulenas (Tolland, Mass.) and an O’Meara RBI single. Lyndon State closed out the scoring on an RBI single by freshman Kayleigh Marsh (Newport, Vt.) in the fifth, as O’Meara had two of the hosts’ seven hits in the nightcap to once again back Beaulieu, who allowed just three runs and struck out one for the win. Locke and junior Kathy Kline (Coventry, R.I.) each had two hits in the second game setback for the Hornets, as sophomore Katelyn Willey (Lancaster, N.H.) allowed just three earned runs inside the circle for the visitors.
“Today was truly a win-win situation for our program,” Lorance said following the doubleheader sweep. “Just to be back on the field and competing was an exciting event, but to play well and get two victories makes it more special. The hard work of all of our players, and the undying leadership and commitment of our upperclassmen, is something I am very proud of.”
Massachusetts Maritime hosts Thomas in a non-league twinbill on Sunday afternoon at Allison Rollins Field beginning at 1:00 p.m., while Lyndon State will be idle until next Saturday afternoon when the Hornets travel to New London, Conn. to take on Mitchell in a non-league doubleheader that begins at 2:00 p.m.