Williams Holds Off Trinity in Game One of Softball Championship
Courtesy Williams Sports Information
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. - A five-run first inning propelled the Williams College softball team over Trinity in the first game of the 2006 NESCAC Tournament Friday afternoon. Williams won its 17th straight game and improved to 27-8 overall.
The Ephs will play Tufts Saturday at 12:30 p.m. Trinity fell to 22-9 overall and will face the loser of the Amherst-Trinity game in an elimination game Saturday beginning at 10 a.m.
"We hit the ball well in the first inning," said Ephs Kris Herman. "To Trinity's credit, they came back. They're a good hitting team so we expected that. Even though we only scored one run after the first inning, I thought we amped up our intensity late in the game."
The Ephs sent nine batters to the plate in the fateful first. Lead-off hitter Cathleen Clark led off with a bunt single and stole second. She advanced to third on a line out, and Alana Frost was hit by a pitch. Christine Williams line drive to third was dropped, allowing Clark to score. First-year Libby Copeland-Halperin then drove a single to right that scored Frost. Williams scored on the play on an error and Copeland-Halperin raced to second.
Katelyn Knox then lined an RBI-single to left to score Copeland-Halperin, taking second on an error. Laura Noel singled to right and stole second, leaving runners at second and third. Katie Powers drove in the final run on a ground out to second.
Eph starter Margaret Ryan earned the win, going five innings and allowing six hits and three runs, all earned. She walked two and struck out eight. Senior Clara Hard picked up a save, hurling the final two frames.
Down 5-0, Trinity rallied with two runs in the second when Lindsey Freeman drew a lead-off walk and scored on Sara Dougherty's two-run home run to left. It was 5-3 Williams when Eph senior Alana Frost provided some insurance with a line drive solo homer to left in the fifth.
