THE BASICS 
Wheaton College (Ill.), 3 vs. Emmanuel College, 16 (5 inn.)

Records: 
Emmanuel Saints (1-1, 0-0 GNAC)
Wheaton College Thunder (0-4, 0-0 CIW)

Location: Auburndale, Fla. – Auburndale Softball SportsPlex Field 4

Date: Monday, March 6, 2023

THE LEAD – Sophomore centerfielder Taylor Chelak (Westborough, Mass.) went 3-for-4 with a home run, six RBI and three runs scored to blast Emmanuel College past Wheaton College (Ill.), 16-3, in Day 1 action at The Spring Games in Auburndale, Fla.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Thunder opened the scoring with a run in the first before Emmanuel scored the next nine runs to take control. Trailing 1-0, the Saints batted around in the second to score six runs on four hits to jump ahead, 6-1. Sophomore Abigail Farr (Windsor Locks, Conn.) got the hit parade started with a two-RBI double down the right field line before Chelak singled her home on a two-RBI hit to give EC a 4-1 cushion. Junior shortstop Olivia Conti (Cranston, R.I.) drove in Chelak with an RBI double to center and sophomore Madison Marks (Edgewater Park, N.J.) followed up with another RBI double to move the line to 6-1.
• EC opened the game up to a 9-1 lead in the third on Chelak's third career long ball. The sophomore belted a three-run shot to left centerfield to make Wheaton pay for a costly error earlier in the frame that made all three runs unearned.
• Wheaton got two runs back in the bottom half of the frame on RBI singles from Paige Andrews and Elizabeth Meyer to cut the deficit to 9-3 but the Saints kept the foot on the gas in the fourth, plating six more runs to lead 15-3.  Chelak and senior outfielder Julyanne Pacheco (Somerset, Mass.) had RBI hits in the frame.
• EC first year pitcher Madison Hinkley (Somers, Conn.) scored the final run of the afternoon in the fifth to account for the 16-3 final.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• EC first year pitcher Mackenzie Briggs (West Warwick, R.I.) got her first collegiate start and win in the circle working the first three innings of the game scattering three runs on six hits to go along with two strikeouts. Hinkley made her collegiate debut surrendering just three hits over two innings of work, picking up one K and one walk.
• The three-hit game is the first of Chelak's collegiate career after she recorded 10 two-hit games as a first year player at Endicott College.
• Marks closed the afternoon going 2-for-3 with an RBI while Farr was 1-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored.
• Sophomore Rebecca Markie (West Hartford, Conn.) picked up her first collegiate hit in the win going 1-for-1 in a pinch hitting role in her first collegiate at-bat.
• First year Emely Rodriguez (Lynn, Mass.) drew a walk in her first collegiate plate appearance, and came around to score in the Saints victory.
• The 16 runs scored is the most by an Emmanuel team since April 17, 2019 when the 2019 squad posted an 18-1 victory over Regis.

UP NEXT

• Both squads are back on the diamond tomorrow morning as Emmanuel takes on Mount Mary University at 11:30 AM while the Thunder face Rivier University at 2:00 PM.