Panther bats erupt vs. Wellesley and Allegheny

            CLERMONT, Fla. – After a day of rest, the Plymouth State University softball team returned to the diamond at the National Training Center Thursday and split a pair of games; the Panthers fell to Wellesley College in the first contest, 7-5, and walloped Allegheny College (Pa.) in the nightcap, 15-1, in five innings.

            The PSU bats rapped out 11 hits in the first game and 17 in the second.  The victory over Allegheny stopped a four-game skid for the Panthers, who are now 4-5 on the spring trip.  Wellesley wrapped up its week in Florida with a 7-3 record, while Allegheny is 2-6.

            Plymouth State had 11 hits against Wellesley compared to seven for the Blue, but five errors by the Panthers led to six unearned runs off freshman starter Nora Galvin (Windham, N.H./Salem).  PSU scored three runs in the bottom of the second inning to go up 3-1, but Wellesley rallied with two runs in the fourth inning and four big runs in the top of the sixth.  PSU answered with two in the bottom of the sixth, but the rally fell short.  Galvin allowed just one earned run on seven hits and one walk while striking out four but took the loss.

            Senior Kortney Nedeau (Kennebunk, Maine) led the Panther offense, cracking three hits in four at bats, including a double and a two-run home run, her second of the season. Galvin contributed two hits, including a two-run double in the second-inning rally, and junior Allie Luisi (North Kingstown, R.I.) added two hits and an RBI.

            The Panthers exploded for six runs in each of the first two innings against Allegheny, putting the game out of reach early.  PSU recorded 17 hits, with five players having at least two hits.  Freshman Amber White (Middleboro, Mass.) and sophomore Diana Bean (Danvers, Mass.) combined to pitch five innings and allow just one run on four hits.

            Freshmen Megan Fifield (Arundel, Maine) and Jackie Digman (Burlington, Mass.) and sophomore Megan Sylvestre (Waterford, Conn.) led the Panther hit parade with three hits apiece.  Fifield cracked a two-run home run and Sylvestre contributed a two-run double.  Galvin and sophomore Jenn Bove (Medford, Mass.) each collected two hits, and Nedeau had a two-run double in the first inning that started it all off.

            PSU wraps up the spring trip on Friday with two more games, facing Colby College at 1:30 p.m. and the University of Wisconsin Superior at 3:30 p.m. 

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