Shorewomen Rally Past Delaware Valley, 6-5; Defeat Nichols, 4-1

FORT MYERS, FL -- The Washington College softball team opened play at the Gene Cusic Classic in Fort Myers, FL, with a pair of wins this afternoon. Sophomore Brittany Walter (Forest Hill, MD/C. Milton Wright) hit a walk-off two-run double and picked up the win in the circle as the Shorewomen (3-5) rallied past Delaware Valley 6-5, in their first game of the day. The Shorewomen followed that win up by scoring all four fourth-inning runs in a 4-1 victory over Nichols.

Against Delaware Valley, the Shorewomen fell behind, 3-0, after the top of the first inning, committing four errors in the frame. The Aggies' fourth run came in the top of the third when Jackie Wear led off the inning with a single and later scored on a wild pitch with two outs. Washington got one run on the board in the bottom of the third when junior Sally Snover (Charlotte, NC/Myers Park) drove in sophomore Shaelan Nottingham (Ocean City, MD/Stephen Decatur) on a fielder's choice. 

The Shorewomen scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth to tie the score. Washington scored a pair of runs on a double by junior Leigh Carbutt (Collegeville, PA/Perkiomen Valley) to make it 4-3. Walter walked with the bases loaded and two outs as Carbutt scored to even the game at 4-4. 

Delaware Valley took a 5-4 lead with two outs in the top of the seventh as Wear reached on an error and later scored on another error. The Shorewomen's first two batters in the bottom of the seventh reached base before sophomore Lindsey Glascock (Glenwood, MD/Glenelg) moved the runners to second and third with a sacrifice bunt. Walter then roped her game-winning double to center field, plating Snover and freshman Kylie Nottingham (Ocean City, MD/Stephen Decatur). Delaware Valley center fielder Kasey Martini tried to make a diving catch on the play but just missed.

Walter was 3-for-3 with a walk in the contest, driving in three runs. She hit a double in the bottom of the second that hit off the wall down the left field line two feet short of being a home run. In the circle, she allowed five runs, but just two of them were earned. She struck out eight batters while walking one and gave up five hits. Freshman Lauren Dockrill (San Diego, CA/Cathedral Catholic) was 3-for-4 with a run scored in the win for the Shorewomen. Wear scored three of the Aggies' five runs in the game.

Against Nichols, the Shorewomen broke a scoreless tie with their four-run fourth inning. Kylie Nottingham doubled off the right-center wall and scored on a Glascock single two batters later. Shaelan Nottingham drove in Walter with a single two batters later to make it 2-0. Dockrill followed by reaching on a fielder's choice as Glascock scored on an error on the play. Junior Jill Piasecki (Galena, MD/Kent County) then singled to center field to drive in junior Kristine Cunningham (Levittown, NY/Island Trees). The Bison got a run back in the top of the fifth on a lead-off home run by Chelsea Correia, but could get no closer.

Dockrill and Snover each went 2-for-3 in the win against Nichols. Junior Meaghan Kimme (Lumberton, NJ/Holy Cross) picked up the win in the circle, allowing one run on four hits and no walks while striking out two batters. Correia was 2-for-3 for Nichols.

The Shorewomen continue play at the Gene Cusic Classic tomorrow when they take on St. Joseph's (ME) at 1:00 p.m. and Richard Stockton at 3:00 p.m.