April 12, 2008
Eagles Earn Rare Split With Wildcats, Take Nightcap 8-5

- Win Marks First Against JWU Since 1998 -

Courtesy Johnson & Wales Sports Information
East Providence, R.I. – The Johnson & Wales softball team split a Great Northeast Athletic Conference double header against Daniel Webster at Pierce Field on Saturday afternoon. Johnson & Wales posted a 6-3 win in the opener with Daniel Webster taking an 8-5 win in the nightcap.

The 8-5 victory marked the first DWC victory over Johnson & Wales since April 1998, ending a 17-game series losing streak in the process and gained their most season victories (6) since the same season.

In the opener, Daniel Webster took an early 1-0 lead on an RBI groundout by freshman Tiana Winter (New Ipswich, N.H.). Johnson & Wales responded in the bottom of the first on a two run single by freshman Christine Casareale (Middletown, N.Y.), taking the 2-1 lead.

The visiting Eagles tied the game at 2-2 on an RBI single by junior Alexandra Sobin (Little York, N.J.). Once again, JWU responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second on a two run home run by junior Kirsten Griffiths (North Haven, Conn.), putting the squad ahead 4-2. Daniel Webster cut into the lead in the top of the fifth when an RBI single by sophomore Erin Hurd (Centerville, Mass.), making the score 4-3.

Johnson & Wales then tallied an unearned run in the bottom of the fifth and an RBI double by sophomore Liana Rivera (Bayside, N.Y.) in the bottom of the sixth helped give the Wildcats the 6-3 victory. Griffiths was 3-for-4 with three runs and two RBI for JWU while freshman Amanda Rae Sullivan (East Granby, Conn.) picked up the complete game victory, allowing three runs on eight hits.

Daniel Webster jumped out to the 1-0 lead in the top of the first in the nightcap on an RBI single by sophomore Kristina Rieger (Concord, N.H.). JWU responded in the bottom of the first when a three run double by sophomore Kristyn Lynch (Duxbury, Mass.) put the Wildcats up 3-1.

After an unearned run in the second, DWC tied the game at 3-3 in the third on an RBI single by junior Stephanie Zubricki (Brookline, N.H.). The visiting Eagles then took the 5-3 advantage on back-to-back RBI singles by Winter and freshman Amanda Varricchio (Middletown, Conn.) in the top of the fourth.

The Wildcats rallied in the bottom of the fourth when a two run triple by Griffiths tied the game at 5-5. That would be all the offense for the Wildcats, however as Daniel Webster tallied what would prove to be the game-winning run in the top of the fifth on a JWU miscue.

The Eagles added one in the sixth and another in the seventh en route to the 8-5 victory. Griffiths was 3-for-4 with a run and two RBI in the loss for JWU. Freshman Lauren Coppola (Norwalk, Conn.) was 2-for-4 with three runs scored for Daniel Webster and she also picked up the win, allowing five runs on eight hits with four strikeouts in seven innings of work.

The Wildcats are now 4-24 for the year and 3-15 in the GNAC while Daniel Webster 6-13-1 is on the season and 4-7-1 in league play. JWU will return to action on Sunday, April 13th when they travel to Saint Joseph’s of Connecticut for a GNAC double header, starting at 12:00 p.m.