PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Sophomore
Avery Couch (Fort Worth, Texas) and senior
Mia Ly (Lowell, Mass.) powered the offense, while senior
Jade Guertin (Oakland, R.I.) blasted her first career home run to help lead Plymouth State University to a sweep of Rhode Island College in a Little East Conference (LEC) softball doubleheader at Bazar Softball Complex on Tuesday night.
Guertin yanked an 0-2 pitch deep to left field in the fifth inning of game one to break a scoreless tie with her first career long ball. The blast ignited a four-run rally, capped by Couch's two-run double. RIC trimmed the deficit with two runs in the sixth, but Couch responded with an RBI triple and scored on Ly's single to provide insurance. The Anchorwomen rallied in the seventh, pulling within 6-4 and loading the bases with two outs, but senior
Kate McGrath (Boston, Mass.) notched a clutch strikeout to seal the win.
After a nearly three-hour rain delay, game two began just before 9:00 p.m., and the Panthers wasted no time. They manufactured a run in the first, then Ly's RBI triple plated Couch in the third. A RIC error extended the lead, and both Couch and Ly added RBI hits in the fourth to make it 5-0. The Anchorwomen got a run back in the sixth, but PSU tacked on two more in the seventh before sophomore
Emily Antrim (Limerick, Maine) shut down another late rally to secure a 7-2 victory.
Plymouth State jumps to 16-7 (4-2 LEC), while the Anchorwomen are 14-11-1 (1-4-1 LEC).
The Basics:
- Game 1: Plymouth State 6, Rhode Island College 4
- Game 2: Plymouth State 7, Rhode Island College 2
- Plymouth State (16-7, 4-2 LEC)
- Rhode Island College (14-11-1, 1-4-1 LEC)
How it Happened (Game One):
- Both pitchers dominated early. PSU's first real scoring opportunity came in the fourth, but back-to-back strikeouts stranded two runners in scoring position.
- McGrath worked out of minor jams in the third and fourth to keep the game scoreless.
- Guertin opened the scoring in the fifth when she crushed a one-out solo shot to left. Back-to-back walks followed, and Bessette drove in a run with a single. Couch added a two-run double to the right center gap to make it 4-0.
- RIC answered with two runs in the sixth.
- In the seventh, Couch crushed a clutch two-out, RBI triple over the head of the right fielder, then Ly followed with a single up the middle to restore the four-run lead.
- RIC rallied with two outs in the bottom of the inning, scoring twice and loading the bases, but McGrath ended the threat with a nasty changeup for the game-ending strikeout.
By the Numbers (Game One):
- McGrath struck out four in the complete game win to improve to 7-3.
- Couch went 2-for-3 with a double, triple, three RBIs, and a run scored.
- Junior Emily Bessette (Cranston, R.I.) had two singles, an RBI, and a run scored, while Kenzie Bessette (Cranston, R.I.) walked twice and scored twice.
- Guertin's homer was the team's ninth of the season.
- Senior Kaity Montelongo (South Paris, Maine) reached twice with a single and a walk, and scored a run.
How it Happened (Game Two):
- After the lengthy rain delay, K. Bessette led off with a walk, stole second, advanced on a flyout, and scored on an infield hit by senior Caroline Macri (Burlington, Mass.).
- In the third, Couch walked and Ly followed with a triple to right. A RIC error made it 3-0.
- RIC loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning, but Antrim got a groundout to escape.
- In the fourth, Couch roped a two-out RBI double, and Ly followed with a single to push the lead to 5-0.
- The Anchorwomen got a run back in the sixth.
- In the seventh, Ly doubled to the wall in right center and scored on Macri's single. Junior Abbey Nezuch (Marlborough, Mass.) added a booming double, allowing pinch runner Ashley Trogler (Rochester, N.H.) to score from first for a 7-1 lead.
- RIC added one more in the seventh and had two in scoring position before Antrim induced a liner to short to end it.
By the Numbers (Game Two):
- Ly finished 3-for-3 with a double, triple, walk, two RBIs, and two runs scored – just a homer shy of the cycle.
- Macri went 2-for-3 with two RBIs.
- Couch walked, doubled, scored twice, and drove in one.
- K. Bessette reached twice and scored a run.
- PSU stole five bases without being caught.
- Antrim struck out four in the complete game win.
Up Next:
- The Panthers head to Bangor, Maine on Thursday (Apr. 17) for a pair of games at Husson.
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