KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Freshman
Allie Cecere (Plainville, Mass.) outlasted a nearly two-hour delay to throw a complete game and senior
Kenzie Bessette (Cranston, R.I.) hit a tie-breaking two-run homer in the seventh inning as Plymouth State University split a pair of games Monday at THE Spring Games at Fortune Road Athletic Complex.
Cecere struck out seven to earn her first collegiate win as PSU outlasted Manchester University, 6-4, in the team's second game of the day. Bessette ripped a two-run shot to right center in the top of the seventh to snap a 4-4 tie and Cecere retired two of the first three batters in the bottom of the seventh before a lightning delay halted play. When play resumed an hour and 50 minutes later, she induced a swinging strikeout to end the game.
Ithaca College slugged its way past the Panthers, 7-1, in the opener. The Bombers used a three-run homer in the second to take a 4-0 lead. Junior
Avery Couch (Fort Worth, Texas) doubled home Bessette in the third, but that would prove to be the Panthers' lone run as Ithaca tacked on three more in the sixth.
With the split, Plymouth State moves to 2-2. Ithaca improves to 3-1, while Manchester is 1-3.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 1, Ithaca 7
- Plymouth State 6, Manchester 4
- Plymouth State (2-2)
- Ithaca (3-1)
- Manchester (1-3)
How it Happened (Ithaca):
- Ithaca used a two-out rally to score four times in the top of the second inning.
- PSU loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the inning but could not cash in.
- Bessette singled and stole second before Couch's one-out double cut the deficit to 4-1 in the third inning.
- The Bombers tacked on three runs in the sixth and Plymouth State was unable to rally.
By the Numbers (Ithaca):
- Bessette went 1-for-4 with a run scored.
- Couch had two hits (2-for-3) and drove in a run.
- Plymouth State turned two double plays.
- Ithaca won the only other meeting between the two teams during the 1995 season.
How it Happened (Manchester):
- Bessette singled and stole second in the top of the first, and senior Emily Bessette (Cranston, R.I.) doubled to make it 1-0. Couch followed with an RBI single and later scored on a ground out as PSU took an early 3-0 lead.
- Cecere got back-to-back strikeouts to strand a runner at third in the bottom of the first inning.
- K. Bessette and E. Bessette roped consecutive doubles to open the third and extend the lead to 4-0.
- Manchester answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning.
- The Spartans got a two-out hit to pull within 4-3 in the fourth, before scoring an unearned run to tie the game.
- PSU had two runners in scoring position with one out in the fifth, but Manchester escaped the jam.
- A walk and sacrifice put the go-ahead runner in scoring position in the top of the seventh, and K. Bessette launched a two-run blast to put the Panthers back in front, 6-4.
- Cecere retired the first two batters in the bottom of the seventh before a single extended the game. She got two strikes on the next batter before a lightning delay of an hour and 50 minutes, then returned to finish the game with a swinging strikeout.
By the Numbers (Manchester):
- K. Bessette finished 4-for-4 with a double and homer, three runs scored, two RBIs and a stolen base.
- E. Bessette was 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles, two RBIs and a run scored.
- Couch also had a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.
- Cecere struck out seven and scattered seven hits while allowing just three earned runs to secure her first career win.
- This was the first meeting between the two programs.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State squares off against Salem State, Franklin & Marshall and Babson College in a tripleheader on Tuesday (Mar. 17).
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