2003 NEWMAC SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT - Dow-Allen grand slam secures Wheaton's fourth NEWMAC title in five years
NORTON, MA- Meeting in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic (NEWMAC) Conference (NEWMAC) Tournament title game for the fourth consecutive season, Wheaton College and Springfield College made this final round one to remember as the Pride forced an elimination game with a 1-0 win in game one. In the second game, junior Amanda Dow-Allen (Greenfield, MA/Stoneleigh-Burnham) launched a grand slam in the top of the seventh inning to turn a 1-0 Lyon lead into a comfortable 5-0 cushion and propel the Blue and White to their third consecutive NEWMAC title and third straight NCAA Division III Tournament appearance. Now 33-7 on the year, the Lyons have won their fourth conference tournament crown in five years. Springfield is now 28-10 on the season. Game one was a pitcher's duel, as Springfield's Brianne Pearson (Brockton, MA) and Wheaton's Jackie Demling (Norwood, MA/Norwood) kept the game scoreless through four innings. In the top of the fifth, SC finally broke through as pinch runner Jennifer Warnick (Millis, MA) scored on a single by senior Nicole Coromato (Utica, NY) to make the score 1-0. The Lyons threatened in the bottom of the sixth, as they loaded the bases with one out, but a line drive off the bat of junior Lori Hill (Chestnut Hill, MA/Newton North) was snagged by Pearson and she doubled off the runner at third to end the Wheaton threat. Pearson then put the Lyons down in order to send the tournament to an elimination game. Pearson struck out four and spread out seven hits in picking up her 18th win of the season. Demling tossed a five-hitter, striking out five batters in the loss. Game two started as another classic duel between Pearson and Demling. Despite the Pride getting two batters on in the bottom of the first, SC was unable to push any runs across the plate. The Lyons continued to struggle offensively, managing only two hits through the first five innings of play. The momentum began to change in the third however, as Springfield put the first two batters on base on two Wheaton errors. With Springfield's three, four and five hitters coming to bat, Demling induced a fielder's choice, a strikeout and a groundout to keep SC off the board. In the sixth, Wheaton scored its first run of the afternoon as junior Carmella Ranieri (Framingham, MA/Framingham) hit a one-out single into right field and then stole second base. Senior co-captain Maren Schrader (Canby, OR/Canby) followed with a single that advanced Ranieri and junior Brianna Shawah (Pompton Plains, NJ/ Pequannock Township) brought home Ranieri with a sacrifice fly to give the Blue and White its first lead of the day. After retiring the Pride in order in the bottom of the sixth, the Lyons opened the seventh with a single by senior co-captain Rachael Powers (Quincy, MA/North Quincy). Powers advanced to second on a groundout and Wheaton loaded the bases when Hill walked and pinch hitter Jessica Foster (Sidney, ME/Messalonskee) beat out a bunt. That set up Dow-Allen's heroics, as the left fielder cleared the bases with an opposite field home run to right. Demling took the win on the mound, pitching a three-hit shutout with seven strikeouts. Pearson gave up seven hits with two strikeouts. Offensively for Wheaton, Ranieri and Schrader were the lone multiple hitters with 2-for-4 appearances. 2003 NEWMAC SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT SCORING 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E 2B: Wheaton- Meghan Malloy (3); Springfield- Laurie Cersosimo (7) Game 7: Wheaton 5, Springfield 0 SCORING 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E 2B: Springfield- Jill Roach (4) |