Softball Drops Pair of Games to Babson

By Chris Buck, Babson College SID

Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score

BABSON PARK, Mass. – Sophomore Jess Pashos (Winchester, Mass.) hit an RBI-fielder’s choice to short to plate the game-winning run to help the Babson College Beavers complete a thrilling 10-9 come-from-behind victory over visiting Bridgewater State College in game two of a non-conference softball doubleheader on Thursday afternoon. The Beavers (8-8), who trailed 9-1 at one point in the contest, also won game one in five innings, 15-4, thanks to two home runs and five RBIs from sophomore Kayle Davis (Gardner, Mass.).

Bridgewater State (6-7) scored nine runs in the top of the third inning of game two to build a commanding 9-1 lead. Senior captain Lauren Cucinotta (Franklin, Mass.) struck the biggest blow of the inning for the Bears, driving in three runs with a double to center. Junior Kate Youngstrom (Holden, Mass.) and junior Tracey Sanko (Windsor, Conn.) added RBI singles in the frame, while freshman Brianna Strecker (Waterford, Conn.) drove in two with a double and sophomore Jordan McDermott (East Bridgewater, Mass.) knocked in two more with a single.

Despite surrendering four of the nine Bridgewater State runs in the third, Babson freshman righthander Megan Brain (Pompton Plains, N.J.) settled down to completely stifle the Bears’ offense over the final four innings. The rookie hurler gave up no runs on just two hits during that span, as she earned the win to improve to 4-2 on the year.

Babson’s comeback began in the bottom of the third, when freshman Catie Funk (Scarborough, Maine) belted her first collegiate home run over the wall in left-center. The Beavers then scored three more runs in the fifth, as Funk ripped a two-run double and later scored on an infield hit by sophomore captain Nicole Latini (East Bridgewater, Mass.).

The Beavers pulled even with four more runs in the sixth, all coming with two outs. After Pashos drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the first run, Davis drove in her sixth run of the afternoon with an infield hit to second. A costly Bridgewater State error then allowed Funk to score from third to make it 9-8, and junior captain Jess Winer (Longmeadow, Mass.) drew another bases loaded walk to force in Pashos with the tying run.

A lead-off walk to sophomore Annie Dursema (Yarmouth, Maine) chased Bears’ senior captain and starter Jamie Ducinski (Duxbury, Mass.) in the bottom of the seventh, and freshman reliever Meghan Dunn (Colchester, Conn.) quickly recorded a strikeout for the inning’s first out. Babson freshman Jaclyn Enos (Taunton, Mass.) then doubled to the gap in left-center to move freshman pinch-runner Ashley Strangio (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) to third. A walk to Funk loaded the bases for Pashos, whose grounder into the hole on the left side was misplayed by the shortstop. The Bears would have not had a play at home regardless, and Strangio scored easily to give Babson the 10-9 comeback win.

Ducinski (1-4) suffered the loss in game two for Bridgewater State, giving up all 10 runs – seven of which were earned – on nine hits, walking six and striking out two in six-plus innings. Funk had a huge game at the plate for Babson, going 3-for-3 with a double, a homer, four runs scored, and three RBIs. Cucinotta had two hits and three driven in for Bridgewater State, while McDermott finished 3-for-4 with three runs.

Bridgewater State scored three runs in the top of the first inning in game one, but from there it was all Babson. The beavers scored two in the first, five in the second, seven in the third, and one more in the fourth for a convincing 15-4, five-inning victory. Davis was a monster with the bat in the opener, going 3-for-3 with a double, two homers – including a grand slam in the third – three runs scored and five RBIs. Pashos added a three-run shot in the second, and Enos went 3-for-3 with three runs and two driven in.

Senior Danielle Liska (Seymour, Conn.) went the first four innings of the opener to earn the win for Babson, giving up four runs – two earned – on four hits, walking two and fanning six as she improved to 4-3 on the year. Brain added a scoreless inning of relief for the Beavers.

McDermott had two hits in game one for the Bears, and Youngstrom drove in two. Dunn (3-2) took the loss after totaling 2 1/3 innings, allowing five runs on six hits and three walks.