MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME SOFTBALL

Monday, April 17, 2017

Joe Zavattaro Complex, North Adams, Mass.

GAME #1 FINAL:          MCLA 10, MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME 2 (5 INNINGS)

GAME #2 FINAL:          MCLA 10, MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME 1 (5 INNINGS)

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. --  Freshman Nevada Nelsen (Colonie, N.Y.) rapped out four hits and drove in five runs to lead MCLA to a sweep of a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference softball doubleheader from Massachusetts Maritime by scores of 10-2 in the opener and 10-1 in the nightcap in a pair of five inning contests played Monday afternoon at the Joe Zavattaro Complex.

The host Trailblazers (4-20, 2-6 MASCAC) jumped out to a 2-0 first inning lead in the lid-lifter on an error and Nelsen’s RBI single, but the visiting Buccaneers (4-10, 0-8 MASCAC) sliced that margin in half in the second on a run-scoring groundout by freshman Allyson Crowley (Leicester, Mass.).  MCLA took advantage of a pair of errors to plate single tallies in the second and third frames, and after junior Kaylene Murphy’s (Randolph, Mass.) fourth inning RBI single cut Massachusetts Maritime’s deficit to 4-2, the hosts closed out the opener with a six-run fifth inning rally that featured a two-run single off the bat of sophomore Kaitlyn Berghela (Watervliet, N.Y.).

Senior Alex Romano (Peabody, Mass.) collected three of the Trailblazers’ 10 opening game hits, as freshman Morgan Watson (Portland, Ore.) scattered four hits and struck out seven to pick up her second win of the spring inside the circle for MCLA.  Junior Carli Thomas (Brewster, Mass.) and freshman Madison Ovadek (Greenland, N.H.) recorded hits in the first game setback for the Buccaneers, as freshman Jenna Nalette (Goffstown, N.H.) also singled and struck out one in going the distance.

The Trailblazers jumped out to a 7-0 second inning lead in the nightcap on the strength of a Nelsen double and a two-run triple by Berghela, and the hosts iced their triumph with a three-run fourth inning outburst highlighted by Nelsen’s two-run single.  Berghela and Nelsen combined for five of MCLA’s nine second game hits in support of freshman Kara Adams (Walden, N.Y.), who allowed five hits and recorded a strikeout to pick up her second victory of the season.  Junior Elizabeth Bramhall (Plymouth, Mass.) plated Massachusetts Maritime’s lone run of the nightcap with a fourth inning RBI groundout, as Murphy, Nalette, sophomore Rachel Gardner (Bourne, Mass.) and freshman Jill Corazzini (Paxton, Mass.) rapped out hits as well for the visitors.  Freshman Melissa Cochrane (Walpole, Mass.) also singled in the setback for the Buccaneers, as she went the distance inside the circle in allowing seven earned runs.

Massachusetts Maritime hosts Wentworth in a non-league doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon at Alison Rollins Field beginning at 3:00 p.m., while MCLA heads to Bennington, Vt. on Wednesday afternoon for a non-league twinbill with Southern Vermont that also begins at 3:00 p.m.