Down by five in first inning, Warriors rally for eight unanswered runs
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -Sophomore Rosie Manzo (Hudson, MA) had a two-out, two-run single to spark a four-run second inning that helped the Eastern Connecticut State University softball team climb out of an early five-run hole and post an 8-7 victory over Springfield College Tuesday afternoon and complete a sweep at Potter Field.
At left: Rosie Manzo
Trailing 5-0 after the first inning of the second game, Eastern (13-3) scored eight unanswered runs over the span of three innings on eight hits and five Springfield (11-12) errors which paved the way for five unearned runs. The Warriors are ranked No. 1 in New England and No. 14 nationally.
Sophomore Molly Rathbun (Hebron) pitched a two-hitter with 13 strikeouts in the first game and drove in two insurance runs in a three-run eighth inning with a two-out double after sophomore Priscilla Alicea (Stratford) plated the first run of the game with a single. Rathburn got two swinging strikeouts and an outfield foul out in the bottom of the eighth to preserve the win. Alicea had three of Eastern's six hits.
In the first inning of the first game, Springfield got consecutive two-run doubles and was aided by three walks and an error to build a quick 5-0 lead, but Eastern answered with four runs of its own in the top of the second inning on four hits, two errors and a wild pitch, tied the game in the top of the third with a run on two hits and another error, and surged ahead with three runs in the fourth on two hits, a walk and two more errors.
Batting ninth, Manzo delivered a two-run, two-out single in the Warriors' four-run second inning and opened the three-run fourth inning with a walk and later scored the go-ahead run to give Eastern a 6-5 lead.
Rathbun (8-1) fanned 19 in 11 2/3 shutout innings in gaining a complete-game win in the first game, and her first save of the season in the second.
Rathbun and seniors Ashley Sullivan (Trumbull) and Katie O'Toole (Waterbury) all had two hits for Eastern in the second game. Freshman Christine Akcer (Miflord) gained her fourth win in six decisions as the second of three Eastern pitches, Rathbun gained the save by striking out six without a walk over the final 3 2/3 innings.
In the doubleheader, Alicia had four hits, senior Kim Church (Farmington) three hits and two runs scored and Rathbun three hits (two doubles) and three RBI. Rathbun lowered her ERA to 0.33 and upped her team-leading batting average to .465. Alicia is batting .458 and Church .333.
Eastern hosts Plymouth State University in a Little East Conference doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. at the University of Connecticut.
