BEVERLY, Mass. - The Roger Williams University Softball team fell in the first game of the Conference of New England (CNE) Championship on Sunday morning to No. 1 Endicott, 1-0, as the Gulls forced an if-necessary game with the Hawks.
For the Gulls, Analise Grady picked up the win, moving to 9-5 on the season, throwing 5.0 innings of work in relief, while allowing three hits, with three strikeouts and no walks, facing 20 batters.
Raegen Germano (Old Tappan, N.J.) fell to 12-5 on the year, throwing a 111 pitches in 7.0 innings, with two hits, three walks, and four strikeouts.
At the plate, the Gulls only had two hits, while the Hawks recorded five in the game.
Hailey Williams (Vernon, Conn.) went 2-for-4 at the plate, with Roger Williams leaving seven runners on base to end innings. For Endicott, Ella Tower was the hero, recording the lone RBI of the game to bring in the game-winning run.
In the second inning, the Hawks were the first to threaten, with
McKenzie Foley (Hanover, Mass.) reaching on a fielder's choice before advancing to second after a two-out walk by
Madison Tucholski (Massapequa, N.Y.).
Skye Merrow (Hudson, N.H.) came up with runners on first and second but flew out to center field.
In the top of the fourth inning, the Gulls saw Abby McClaflin hit a leadoff single to center, but the Hawks responded with outs on the next three plate appearances to retire the side. The Hawks found themselves in a similar situation as the second inning with Foley on Second, and Tucholski on first, but Merrow was unable to continue the line, grounding out the second to end the threat.
In the sixth, the Gulls were the first to strike, with Kylyn McLaren reaching on a hit-by-pitch, followed by a Maddie Beeley walk to stand on second. Ella Tower came up to bat with two outs and hit a single to left field, which was able to bring in McLaren, before the Hawks got Beeley, who rounded second, giving the Gulls a 1-0 lead.
Heading into the seventh inning still trailing, Germano, retired the Endicott hitters in order in the top half of the seventh, providing an opportunity for the Hawks to tie it in the bottom of the inning.
Tucholski reached on a error at third, as Merrow was able to lay down the sacrifice bunt, advancing Tucholski to second base. After Forsythe popped up to second for the second out of the inning, Williams came up to bat, grounding out to second on a 2-1 pitch to end the game.
Roger Williams (17-13, 13-7 CNE) will take on Endicott for a second time today at 1:15 pm with a championship or elimination on the line.
