BARTOW, Fla. – The Plymouth State University softball came out on the short end of three narrow setbacks, falling to Babson College, Franklin & Marshall College and Salem State University at THE Spring Games at Miss Bartow Softball Complex on Tuesday.
Babson rallied late to top the Panthers in the first game, 5-3. Senior
Kenzie Bessette (Cranston, R.I.) singled and scored on a fielding error in the bottom of the fifth to give PSU a 3-2 lead. The Beavers took the lead in the sixth, then added an insurance run in the seventh. Plymouth State had the tying runs on base in the bottom of the seventh but was unable to complete the comeback.
The Panthers held a 4-1 lead with two outs in the seventh of the second game of the day before Franklin & Marshall took advantage of three errors to steal a 5-4 win. Senior
Abbey Nezuch (Marlborough, Mass.) ripped a two-run double and senior
Ariana Cray (Merrimack, N.H.) added an RBI single to break a 1-1 tie before the Diplomats' dramatic rally.
PSU got an early lead in the final game against Salem State as well, though the Vikings responded with seven unanswered runs for a 7-3 win. Junior
Avery Couch (Fort Worth, Texas) had a two-run double and Nezuch added an RBI single as PSU raced out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first, but Salem State scored in each of the first three innings to go ahead, 5-3, before adding two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Plymouth State falls to 2-5. Salem State goes to 4-2, Franklin & Marshall moves to 2-3, and Babson finishes the day 3-3.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 3, Babson 5
- Plymouth State 4, Franklin & Marshall 5
- Plymouth State 3, Salem State 7
- Plymouth State (2-5)
- Babson (3-3)
- Franklin & Marshall (2-3)
- Salem State (4-2)
How it Happened (Babson):
- Bessette's two-run double gave the Panthers a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning.
- Babson cut it to 2-1 in the top of the third, but freshman Allie Cecere (Plainville, Mass.) stranded the tying run at third.
- The Beavers pulled even in the top of the fifth, scoring on a double steal to make it 2-2.
- Bessette restored the PSU lead, 3-2, in the bottom of the frame when she singled to right and raced home after the outfielder misplayed the ball.
- Babson took its first lead in the top of the sixth on a two-out, two-run single, then added a run on a sacrifice fly in the seventh to make it 5-3.
- Plymouth State put the tying runs on base in the bottom of the inning, but Babson escaped unscathed.
By the Numbers (Babson):
- Bessette singled and doubled, scored once and drove in two.
- Couch went 2-for-4, while senior Emily Bessette (Cranston, R.I.) reached base three times (single, two walks).
- Cecere went the distance, striking out four.
- Babson leads the series 7-2.
How it Happened (Franklin & Marshall):
- K. Bessette singled and stole two bases, then scored on Couch's groundout for a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
- The Diplomats tied it with a two-out rally in the top of the fifth, but PSU answered in the bottom of the inning. Cray and K. Bessette hit back-to-back singles, and Nezuch drove them both in with a clutch two-out hit to make it 3-1.
- Freshman Addison Willett (Kingston, Mass.) singled and later scored on Cray's RBI single to push the lead to 4-1 in the sixth.
- Franklin & Marshall took advantage of three errors in the top of the seventh to score four unearned runs and take a 5-4 lead, and PSU was unable to respond in the bottom of the inning.
By the Numbers (Franklin & Marshall):
- K. Bessette went 2-for-4 with two steals and two runs scored.
- Nezuch finished 1-for-3 with a walk and two RBIs.
- Willett singled twice and scored a run in three at-bats, while Cray was 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI.
- Graduate student Emily Antrim (Limerick, Maine) allowed just four hits in the complete game loss. All five runs allowed were unearned.
- This was the first meeting between the two programs.
How it Happened (Salem State):
- Couch doubled home the Bessette sisters and Nezuch added an RBI single as PSU led 3-0 before an out was recorded, chasing the Vikings' starter.
- Salem State responded with two runs in the first, two more in the second and one in the third to take a 5-3 lead.
- The Vikings' reliever was outstanding, allowing just two baserunners the rest of the way, and Salem State added two insurance runs in the sixth to account for the final score.
By the Numbers (Salem State):
- Sophomore Eva Zuber (Lakeville, Mass.) reached base twice with a single and a walk.
- Couch had the lone extra base hit – a double – and drove in two.
- Junior Lauren Laudani (Londonderry, N.H.) struck out two in one inning of relief.
- Plymouth State leads the all-time series, 21-12.
Up Next:
- The Panthers are set for another tripleheader on Thursday (Mar. 19) with games against Smith College, the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and SUNY Geneseo.
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