BRISTOL, R.I. – The Roger Williams University Softball team split a non-conference doubleheader against the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth Wednesday afternoon, falling 2-3 in the opener before winning the second game 7-3.
In the first game, the Corsairs kicked off the game with three straight hits by Breanna Marcyoniak (Westfield, Mass.), Emily Pontes (Tewksbury, Mass.), and Olivia Kenyon (Canton, Mass.). Kenyon's hit would be the one that gave the Corsairs a quick 1-0 lead, scoring Marcyoniak on the RBI single. Kenyon would later score in the inning on a Kaitlin Hogan (Tewksbury, Mass.) hit to give UMass-Dartmouth a 2-0 lead.
The Corsairs added one more run in the top of the fourth, this time with Hogan scoring on an RBI single by Portes. That run proved to be crucial as the Hawks got on the board with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Julia Giancola (Durham, Conn.) knocked in Molly Petrone (Northborough, Mass.) with an RBI single; then Lauren Tierney (Middleboro, Mass.) came in on a sacrifice fly by Alana Peoples (Scarborough, Maine). That would be all the Hawks would manage to score in the game, as UMass-Dartmouth held on for the win.
Brittany Eldridge (Raynham, Mass.) notched the win, giving up two runs in seven innings of work with seven strikeouts. Pontes finished 3-for-4 with an RBI, with Hogan adding a hit, a run, and an RBI.
Jaclyn Doolin (Miller Place, N.Y.) took the loss, allowing three runs in seven innings with a pair of Ks. Kaitlyn Costa (Cranston, R.I.) was 2-for-4 at the plate, with Giancola going 1-for-3 with an RBI.
In the second game, the Hawks would be the ones to grab an early lead, going on top 3-0 in the first inning. Roger Williams earned RBI singles by Caroline Atkinson (Milford, Mass.) and Kara Lewis (Taunton, Mass.), in addition to a sac fly by Tierney. Costa tacked on one more run for the Hawks in the second on an RBI single.
The Corsairs got on the board in the third inning via an RBI single by Pontes to make it a 4-1 deficit. UMass-Dartmouth would later pull within one, with Marcyoniak and Jenna Sylvia (New Bedford, Mass.) taking advantage of RWU miscues to score in the top of the fifth and make it a 4-3 game.
RWU responded with three runs in the sixth inning, capitalizing on three Corsair errors in the inning for a comfortable four-run lead. The 7-3 score would hold up as the Hawks picked up the win.
Kelly Marcin (Windsor Locks, Conn.) earned her first win of the season, allowing three runs (two earned) in 4.1 innings of work. Lewis pitched the final 2.2 innings for her first collegiate save. Erica Castro (Medford, N.Y.) went 2-for-3 with three runs scored and an RBI. Atkinson was 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI.
Ashley Felaccio (Acushnet, Mass.) took the loss, giving up three runs (two earned) in 0.1 innings before leaving due to injury. Marcyoniak was 3-for-4 with a run scored, with Pontes adding two hits and an RBI.
Roger Williams (11-14) travels to Eastern Nazarene on Saturday, while UMass-Dartmouth (7-15) goes to Plymouth State on Saturday.
