Courtesy of Smith Sports Information
NORTHAMPTON, Mass. - First-year Donna Leet '15 (Seattle, Wash.) homered twice as part of a 4-for-9, six-RBI day, to lead the Amherst softball team to a pair of 12-4 and 18-2 wins over local rival Smith College. The Jeffs improved to 19-0 on the season, while the Pioneers fell to 2-14.
Dropping its third game to Amherst this season, Smith last earned a victory over the Lord Jeffs during the 2008 campaign, having now gone winless over the last seven meetings. Reilly Horan '13 (Darien, Conn.) notched her 100th career hit in the first game of the twinbill, while Idalia Friedson '15 (Trumbull, Conn.) finished 4-for-4 with a home run, four RBIs and four runs scored in the nightcap.
Amherst returns to action on Wednesday, Apr. 4 at Westfield St.
Game 1: Amherst 12, Smith 4
The Lord Jeffs wasted no time getting on the board in game one, pushing across the contest's first run on a Leet RBI single that brought home Kaitlin Silkowitz '14 (Scarsdale, N.Y.). In the home half of the inning, Smith tied things up when Tessa Clark '13 reached on a fielder's choice before coming home on a Kirstie Beaton '12 two-out single.
Leet put Amherst back in front with a two-run homer in the third before a five-run fourth aided by three Smith errors made it 8-1.
Looking to keep pace, the Pioneers responded with a three runs of their own in the bottom of the frame, to stay within striking distance. Brittany Purington '13 reached on an error and stole second to get the rally started, before a wild pitch moved her to third. After Edie Richarson '15 walked, Kate Durkin '12 singled to left-center to score Purington. Helen Buse '15 followed with an RBI double that brought home Durkin, before Sarah Goodman '12 slapped a single to right field that trimmed the deficit to 8-4.
Amherst answered with a run in the fifth on an Alyssa Sherwill (Wallingford, Conn.) RBI single, before tacking on three more in the seventh thanks to another Smith error and a Horan RBI groundout.
Kayla Kiers '14 went five innings and allowed five runs on eight hits before giving way to Tessa Clark '13, who pitched the final two innings, surrendering seven runs on three hits.
Caroline Sealander '15 (Washington, D.C.) lasted four innings en route to her fourth victory of the season, giving up four runs on six hits, while Arielle Doering '14 (Branchburg, N.J.) pitched three shutout innings in relief.
Silkowitz finished 3-for-4, while Leet and Kelsey Ayers '15 (Los Altos, Calif.) each had a pair of hits and combined for three RBIs and four runs scored.
Game 2: Amherst 18, Smith 2 (5)
The Lord Jeffs again jumped out to an early lead, as Horan drove in two with a double, then scored on an illegal pitch as part of a five-run first inning. Friedson also drove in a run in the first with an RBI triple, while Carly Dudzik '12 (Darien, Conn.) had a sacrifice fly.
Smith's Beaton drove in her second run of the day with a single up the middle that brought home Goodman in the bottom half of the inning, before the Pioneers plated another run in the second when Kate Durkin walked and eventually scored on a wild pitch.
Amherst responded by sending 17 batters to the plate in the third, erupting for 10 runs before adding three more in the fifth to cap off the scoring. Leet and Friedson each homered as part of the big third-inning rally that saw the Jeffs' notch seven hits, while taking advantage of four Smith errors.
Sherwill had a two-run double in the fifth, with Theresa Kelley '13 (Los Angeles, Calif.) adding a sacrifice fly to bring in Amherst's 18th run.
Dudzik had three hits, an RBI and two runs scored, while Leet and Horan combined for four hits, five RBIs and four runs scored. Friedson enjoyed a perfect 4-for-4 outing, driving in four Jeffs.
Doering went the distance in the win, allowing two runs on six hits while striking out six, with Kiers taking the loss after surrendering five runs on five hits in just one inning. Clark allowed 13 runs on 13 hits in four innings of relief.
BOX SCORE (Game 1)
BOX SCORE (Game 2)
