Cochrane Dominates Pine Manor, Thomas Homers
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Carli Thomas hit the Buccaneers' first home run and Melissa Cochrane had seven hits as the Massachusetts Maritime Academy softball team blasted Pine Manor College, 17-0 and 12-0. After putting together a solid offensive attack in yesterday's loss to Becker, the bats broke out for 45 hits in the doubleheader, including a likely record-breaking 26 in game one.
Game One
In the opener, every Buccaneer hit safely, drove in a runner, and scored a run, with Cochrane starting things off. The sophomore legged out a double and later scored to start the merry-go-round. In the second inning, 16 batters came to the dish as the softballers truly broke out after increasingly positive performances in recent games. The frame featured nine hits, including two from Jill Corazzini,
After adding two in the fourth, the Bucs exploded for another seven-run inning in the fifth. Cochrane led off with a triple and scored on Rachel Gardner's double. Six straight hits kept the carousel going and the inning mercifully ended due to some creative baserunning.
Cochrane collected two hits in the inning and went 4-for-5 in the game, missing a home run to complete the cycle. Gardner and Madison Coughlin also had a hitting brace in the fifth. Corazzini and Coughlin each had three hits, with Coughlin scoring four runs. Gardner and Savannah Leite each drove in three.
Meanwhile Jenna Nalette (1-4) came within one pitch of a no-hitter, surrendering a base hit in the fourth on a 3-2 count. The sophomore allowed only one walk in the fifth and struck out one in the shutout.
The 17-0 victory tied a win over Daniel Webster on March 21, 2017 for most runs in a game in the last 11 seasons, while the 26 hits are likely the program record.
Game One
Coach Kathleen L'Abbe's women picked up right where they left off in the rubber match, plating three runs in the first, with the big blow a double from Carli Thomas. Two innings later, the Buccaneers made it 5-0.
The fourth saw another offensive outburst, started once more by a Cochrane triple. Lucia Buzzell singled her home and, after a Coughlin safety, Thomas ripped another two-bagger to drive in two. Pandora Walker followed with a double of her own and crossed home on an Emily Goodwin single.
The final blow of the night came from the red-hot Thomas, who followed a Kristin Arthur double with a monstrous home run. Thomas was an incredible 4-for-4 with five RBI, four runs, and seven total bases, falling a triple short of the cycle.
Cochrane had three more hits, once more collecting all but a four-bagger in the cycle attempt. Goodwin had three RBI and four players had a brace of hits, including Kaylene Murphy, who will be running the Boston Marathon in aid of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.
Cochrane (1-5) was masterful in the circle, striking out three and allowing only four hits in five shutout innings. The second-year hurler has a 1.14 ERA in her last three outings.
The softballers will have a day off from game action before hosting MCLA on Saturday at Rollins Field in the squad's home opener. The twinbill starts at 1 p.m. and the women will be raising money in support of Murphy. If you missed our feature on Murphy, you can read about her incredible efforts [link] and donate to her "Murphys' Dropkick Cancer" fundraising page [link].
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Gabriel Fidler, Sports Information Associate