Balanced Blue Devils Outlast Mounties
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- The Drury softball team got a number of clutch hits from several different players late in the game to earn a 6-2 win over Mount Greylock on Sunday.The Mounties (5-12) did a good job of hanging in the game, trailing just 2-1 after three and a half innings. The Blue Devils, however, pulled away at the end, scoring four runs over the final three frames to improve their season record to 12-5.
Mary Ann Maroni's squad started strong by scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Senior Kendra Hinkell hit an RBI single to score junior Lyndsey DeGrenier for the first run of the inning before sophomore Amanda Ramsdell brought Hinkell home with a triple.
Greylock answered with an RBI single to center field by sophomore Alexis Bushika in the top of the fourth, but Drury struck right back in the bottom half of the inning on RBI hit by sophomore Ali Tatro. The damage could have been a lot worse had it not been for Mounties captain Michaela DiNicola. The junior center fielder prevented two runs from scoring by throwing out a pair of Devils' runners at the plate. DiNola was the leader of a Greylock defense that did not commit an error in the game.
"DiNicola was certainly their defensive star of the day," Maroni said. "She takes charge in the outfield. She knows where the ball is going to go. When it reaches her, she then makes accurate throws."
Drury added another run in the fifth when Hinkell brought home senior Kait Moresi, who got on with a single earlier in the frame. Moresi and DeGrenier then clinched the win by collecting RBI hits in the sixth. Moresi and Tatro each finished with two hits in the game, while junior Olivia Koperek led the way with a 3 for 4 effort at the plate.
Cat Record started the game and went the distance in a complete-game victory for the Devils. The freshman hurler scattered six hits and allowed just one earned run and three walks, striking out three batters to improver her season record to 11-4. Record tossed five scoreless frames, only allowing single runs in the fourth and seventh innings.
Drury next hosts Brattleboro at 4:15 on Monday afternoon.