BEVERLY, Mass. – With their backs against the wall, and the season hanging in the balance,
Sydney Provencal (Cumberland, R.I.) and the eighth-seeded Roger Williams University Softball team simply refused to allow it to conclude as they upset the fifth-seeded Wentworth Institute of Technology, 7-4 in 11 innings at the Endicott Softball Complex on Friday afternoon. In a game that lasted more than two and a half hours, saw batters step to the plate 101 times, and last 11 innings, a number that is believed to be the most in a postseason game in program history, Provencal finally said enough was enough, picking the most opportune time to blast the first home run of her collegiate career and keep the Hawks' season alive.
Hawk Highlights
Sydney Provencal: 3-for-6, HR, 3 RBI, 2 RS
Taylor Howell: 3-for-6, 2B, RBI
Jamie Wells: 1-for-3, 3B, BB, RBI, 2 RS
Emma MacLean: 1-for-4, SB, RS
Lia Nocella: (W, 7-12), 10.2 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 7 BB, 0 K
For The Opponents
Erin Hancock: 3-for-6, RBI, RS
Jess Rowe: 1-for-4, 2B, BB, RBI
Kaitlin Pettinger: 2-for-5, BB, RBI
Julia Hutchinson: 1-for-4, BB, RBI
Erin Hancock: (L, 8-7), 10.0 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
How It Happened
The first four innings would proceed with neither squad breaking onto the scoreboard though Wentworth stranded a whopping seven runners on base, including four in scoring position along the way. Roger Williams finally broke through in the top of the fifth and it was a pair of infielders who did the job.
Emma MacLean (Newton, Mass.) leadoff the inning with a single then
Jamie Wells (Castle Rock, Colo.), who was re-inserted into the lineup yesterday and played a crucial role in the team's win over Suffolk, scorched a triple down the rightfield line.
Alexandra Lombardo (Thomaston, Conn.) followed with a sacrifice fly, and it was 2-0 Hawks. They then added another one in the sixth when
Sydney Provencal (Cumberland, R.I.) singled, advanced on a groundout then scored on a
Taylor Howell (Sandwich Mass.) double.
The designated road team appeared to be in good shape, but things were about to get interesting as with one out in the bottom of the sixth, the Leopards had an answer. Two reached on a single and a walk before Jess Rowe (Yardley, Pa.) ripped a double into the power alley in left-center. The second out was recorded then a walk ensued, but
Lia Nocella (Tyngsboro, Mass.) uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Julia Hutchinson (North Billerica, Mass.) to come home and cut the deficit to one.
Roger Williams got a little breathing room in the seventh when Wells drew ball four, Lombardo singled, and
Jax Beaulieu (Sandwich, Mass.) brought in a run on a single of her own making the score 4-2 in favor of RWU but once again, WIT had a response.
Ellie Fleming (Marshfield, Mass.) entered in the seventh to try and close things out but after the first out was recorded, a walk and a pair of singles made it a one-run game and the Hawks turned back to Nocella to try to preserve the lead, but she could not. She walked the first batter she faced, then induced an infield fly for out number two. Kaitlin Pettenger (Budd Lake, N.J.) would draw another free pass to even the score at four all as we got free softball in Beverly.
In the extra frames, Nocella and Wentworth pitcher Erin Hancock (Holden, Mass.) traded zeros until the 11
th. Lombardo reached on an error to open the frame then Beaulieu also reached on a fielding miscue.
Casey Uryga (Berlin, Conn.) bunted both runners up 60 feet, but it did not matter as Provencal was about to take the swing of her life, clubbing her first career homer over the fence in left-center to push the Hawks in front for good. In a game that saw WIT strand 16 runners on the basepaths, Nocella would ensure no drama would occur in the bottom of the inning, tossing a 1-2-3 frame to finish an outstanding game in the circle as Roger Williams survived to play another game by winning, 7-4.
What's Next
Roger Williams faces a tough task as they will now have to face top-seeded Endicott College twice with the hosts having two chances to win one game in advance. At the time of writing, the game is actually in progress in Beverly, Mass.
