FORT MYERS, FL – Thanks to outstanding pitching from Theresa Kelley '13 (Los Angeles, CA) and timely hitting by Christina Anderson '13 (Port St. Lucie, FL), the Amherst College softball team opened its season with one-run wins over Salem State University and the University of New England. 

Amherst's first day at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic was supposed to be its most challenging, as the Lord Jeffs were going up against a Salem State team that went 35-10-1 and qualified for the NCAA  Tournament last year, as well as a UNE squad that was 25-14 in 2010. After hanging on for a 2-1 win over the Vikings, Amherst came from behind to defeat the Nor'easters, 4-3. 

Kelley carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning against Salem State, but she surrendered a leadoff double to a player who would later score on a sacrifice fly to make it a 2-1 game. Kelley maintained composure, however, and struck out the final two batters of the game. She struck out 13 in all, allowing only one hit and one walk to earn the win. 

Amherst got on the board in the first inning thanks to a sacrifice fly by Annemarie Iker '12 (Mill Valley, CA), adding a second run on a dropped pop-up in the third frame. The Jeffs had five hits in the game—all singles—with Iker going 1-for-2 and Carolyn Miller '14 (Leominster, MA) and Reilly Horan '13 (Darien, CT) each going 1-for-3. 

The Jeffs trailed the Nor'easters by a 3-2 margin in the bottom of the sixth inning of Saturday's second game, but Anderson provided a two-run double that stood up as the game-winning hit. Amherst's other two runs came in the first inning when Miller belted a two-run homer, the first of her collegiate career. 

Anderson pitched the first two innings against UNE and allowed two runs on three hits. She was relieved by Arielle Doering '14 (Branchburg, NJ), who picked up the win in her collegiate debut by striking out nine  and allowing only one run on four hits in 5.0 innings of work. The Jeffs scored their four runs on nine hits but committed four errors in the field, with Miller going 2-for-3 to lead the way at the plate. 

The Lord Jeffs will take on Stevens tomorrow at 9 a.m., followed by an 11 a.m. meeting with The College of Wooster (OH).

SALEM STATE BOX SCORE

UNE BOX SCORE