Saturday, April 20, 2013 (Paxton, Massachusetts) - The Mount Ida College softball team split a doubleheader with the AMCATS of Anna Maria College on Saturday afternoon by scores of 7-6 and 7-1. With the split, the Mustangs go to (13-22, 5-7 GNAC), while Anna Maria goes to (5-29, 2-19 GNAC).
Game 1
Mount Ida was led in Game 1 at the plate by Cassie Durand (Dracut, MA/Dracut) who went 3-3 on the day with three runs scored and one RBI. Kirsten Guerrero (Fairfield, CT/Fairfield Ludlowe) also totaled three hits while plating one. Devan Meeker (Bantam, CT/Litchfield) and Kaitlyn Berube (Fall River, MA/Diman Regional) each tallied two hits apiece while Meeker scored two runs and one RBI. Tiffany Hamann (Newton, MA/Newton North), Nickole Soto (Marlboro, MA/Assabet Valley Regional), and Gina Onorevole (Lafayette, NJ/High Point Regional) all recorded one hit while Hamann also had a run scored.
The Mount Ida battery of Meeker and Durand stroked home runs in the top of the first inning to give the Mustangs a quick 2-0 lead. Anna Maria cut the lead in half in the home half of the second inning when freshman Makayla Leite (South Easton, MA) scored on a ground out by Cristina Turley (Waterford, CT).
The teams traded a pair of runs in the fifth inning. With runners on second and third freshman Samantha Miller (Dudley, MA) delivered a 2-RBI single to deep left field to push the score to 4-3 Mount Ida after five complete.
In the top of the sixth, Mount Ida added an insurance run when senior Hamann (Newton, MA) led off with a single to center field and came around to score on a Guerrero single to left center.
The AMCATS answered with a single run in the bottom of the sixth and then in the bottom of the seventh with one out Miller drilled a home run over the left centerfield fence to knot the game at five.
In the top of the eighth the Mustangs would plate the go-ahead run capitalizing on an AMCAT miscue to take a 6-5 lead. With a pinch-runner, Kayla Lapierre (Worcester, MA) placed on second Turley would sacrifice Lapierre over to third base. Next, Liz Haggerty walked to set the stage for Ruggeri's heroics. Ruggieri doubled to center field scoring two runs and walking off with the win for the AMCATS.
Sophomore Nichole Lowe (Saugus, MA) pitched five innings to earn the win allowing just three runs while striking out four Mustang batters. Freshman Angela Vousboukis (Swampscott, MA) hurled three strong innings in relief. Meeker took the loss in the setback for Mount Ida, going the distance while allowing 13 hits, seven runs, five earned runs, two walks and seven strikeouts.
Mount Ida will be back in action on Monday, April 22, 2013 when they take on Johnson and Wales University on Senior Day for the Mustangs. The doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 3:00.
Game 2
Mount Ida was led by senior Meghan Moriarty (Holbrook, MA/Holbrook) who went 2-2 in Game 2 while going 2-2 at the plate with two runs scored and two RBI's. Guerrero tallied three more hits for the Mustangs and recorded one RBI. Meeker, Hamann, Soto, and senior Chase Courbron (Monroe, CT/Masuk) all compiled one hit apiece while all scoring one run.
The Mustangs wasted little time breaking game two open, Mount Ida notched two runs in both the first and second inning and added three more insurances runs, while the AMCATS put one on the board in the bottom of the seventh inning for the 7-1 final.
The AMCATS produced five hits in the nightcap; Ruggeri, Haggerty and Lindsay Bond (Webster, MA) all posted doubles, while Leite and Lalonde had singles.
The AMCATS pushed their only run of the game across the plate in the home half of the last inning. Ruggeri potted her 16th RBI of the season with a double to score Lalonde who had opened the inning with a single.
Freshman Allie Norris (Plymouth, MA/Plymouth South) earned the win for Mount Ida, she scattered five hits allowing just one run while striking out five AMCATS on the day.
Mount Ida will host Johnson and Wales University on Monday afternoon with first pitch slated for 3:00. Anna Maria returns to action tomorrow when they will host Albertus Magnus for a single game, first pitch is slated for noon.
Some Content Courtesy of Anna Maria Sports Information