Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 NORTHFIELD, Vt. – The three-time defending Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) champion Johnson & Wales Wildcats flexed their muscles on Sunday afternoon with two mercy-rule victories in five innings over the Norwich University softball team.
Johnson & Wales (23-10, 20-2 GNAC) defeated the Cadets by scores of 12-0 and 12-2 to spoil Norwich's senior day for Sarah Perry (New Bedford, Mass.) and Olivia Bussiere (Northfield, Vt.).
Norwich (6-14, 4-12 GNAC) mustered just five total hits between the two games and committed eight errors defensively to complicate matters in trying to pull the upset.
Junior Emily Oliver (Sagamore Hills, Ohio) went 2-for-2 from the plate in the second game with a RBI to lead the Cadets' offense. Freshman Maria Draper (Laconia, N.H.) also notched her first collegiate RBI with a ground out that scored Jenna Sprague (Brookfield, Vt.) in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Freshman Xiomarra Torres (Elmsford, N.Y.) picked up her first collegiate hit to kick off the bottom of the fifth inning.
In Game 1, Jennifer Corona haunted Norwich at the plate and in the circle as she had a home run and four RBIs, as well as threw four innings allowing just one hit and striking out seven to lead the Wildcats.
Kayla McKinnon went 3-for-3 as well with two RBIs, while Kristin Frost went 2-for-2 with two RBIs.
Oliver took the loss in Game 1 for NU, going five innings and allowing five earned runs on five walks while striking out two.
JWU jumped on top again in Game 2 with three runs in the first inning. Tiffani Semanchik went 3-for-3 from the plate with two RBIs. Alex Fantasia added two RBIs as well.
Perry took the loss in Game 2 for the Cadets, throwing five innings and allowing seven earned runs on 15 hits and two walks.
Sunday kicked off a busy week for Norwich as the Cadets will close the regular season with 10 games in seven days. NU will host Anna Maria on Tuesday at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. and then travel to Regis on Wednesday for a 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. start. The Cadets return home to face Lasell on Friday at 2 and 4 p.m. NU then closes out the regular season at Mount Ida on Saturday at noon and 2 p.m.
The Cadets currently sit in 11th place with eight teams set to make the playoffs. Lasell and Mount Ida are currently in eighth and ninth place.
