March 9, 2012

Box Score

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Senior third baseman Brittany Wegman (West Harrison, Ind.) went 2-2 with a homerun and three RBI to power the Thomas More College softball team past Emmanuel College, 4-1, Friday morning at the Fortune Road Softball Complex in the 2012 Rebel Games in Kissimmee, Fla. With the victory, the TM Saints improve to 6-3 on the year while the EC Saints drop to 1-8.

Thomas More jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first behind a three-run homerun to left by Wegman. Sophomore catcher Ashley Fletcher (Lebanon, Ohio) led off the game with an infield single before stealing second and advancing to third on an EC error that allowed sophomore second baseman Alex Walter (Lebanon, Ohio) to reach. With runners at the corners, Wegman belted a 2-2 pitch over the left field fence to give the TM Saints the three-run cushion.

Emmanuel would make it a 3-1 game with a run in the top of the fourth without recording a hit in the inning. Freshman third baseman Catherine Bergeron (Sandwich, Mass.) led off the frame by drawing a walk. Bergeron was pinch run for by freshman Jessica Dold (Medfield, Mass.) who made her presence felt on the base paths, stealing both second and third. Junior pitcher Kelly Lloid (Issaquah, Wash.) would draw a one-out walk to put runners at the corners and would steal second, allowing Dold to scamper home on the throw to get EC on the board.

EC would threaten again in the top of the fifth as sophomore designated player Jennifer Garrity (Lynn, Mass.) led off with a single. With one out, sophomore shortstop Julia Levins (Uxbridge, Mass.) collected a single down the third base line to put the tying run on base with just one out but sophomore pitcher Ronni Burns (Dayton, Ohio) was able to work her way out of the jam and retire the next two batters to strand the runners, preserving the 3-1 lead.

Thomas More would get a run back in the fifth inning with the help of an EC miscue to push the lead to 4-1. Wegman got things started with a one-out single to center and then came around to score after Stefaney Turner (Franklin, Ohio) hit a ball to third base that should have been a routine fielder's choice at second to force out Wegman, but an overthrow into right field that went all the way to the fence allowed for Wegman to score and Turner to end up on third with just one out. The EC Saints were able to avoid any further damage, stranding Turner on third to keep the score at 4-1.

Over the final two innings, Burns was perfect retiring the Emmanuel side in order in the sixth and seventh to seal the 4-1 win for Thomas More.

Besides Wegman's multi-hit outing, Fletcher also finished the game going 2-4 with a run scored for Thomas More. Garrity and Levin's singles in the fifth were the only two hits that Burns would suffice to Emmanuel as she tossed a complete game, striking out nine en tote to capture the win. Lloid was again a tough-luck loser, throwing six innings of six-hit ball while allowing the four runs (two earned).

Emmanuel will return to action later today when they take on Westminster at 11:00 AM in their final game of the 2012 Rebel Games.