Rivier Two Steps Closer To GNAC Playoffs

Newton, Massachusetts) - In the final home twin bill of the 2011 season, the Mount Ida College softball team dropped both ends of a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) double header against visiting Rivier College Monday afternoon in Newton, Massachusetts. The Mustangs fell in game one due to two error ridden innings compiling eight for the contest falling in a 9-0 shutout. Game two was very close the entire way with Mount Ida losing 5-4. The Mustangs have two games left and will be played tomorrow at GNAC rival Lasell College starting at 3:00 p.m.

Mount Ida falls to an overall record of 10-26 with a conference slate of 6-16 while the visitors will be play-off bound improving to 21-11 going 13-9 in conference competition.

After two full empty frames, the visitors got the offense going with a four run top of the third inning. Mount Ida surrendered four errors during the Rivier rally starting with the first batter after an E4 putting one on with zero outs. After a groundout, freshman Nicole Peacock (Warwick, RI/Prout) poked a single to center field advancing to second on an errant throw scoring the lead-off runner for the 1-0 advantage. A single by freshman Catherine Roy (Dracut, MA/Dracut) moved the runner's up followed with another Mustang error plating two more up 3-0. Another single, this time by sophomore Amanda Thornton (Hanover, MA/Hanover), kept the rally alive for the Raiders. A fielder's choice scored the final run of the inning on the next batter finishing a four run third up 4-0.

Mount Ida failed to score in the bottom of the frame watching the visitors add three more runs in the top of the fourth inning helped with two more mistakes by the hosts to take a 7-0 lead. After a lead-off groundout, freshman Britnii Dyer (Douglas, MA/Douglas) tattooed a home run to right field to go ahead 5-0. Two consecutive errors ensued followed by a walk loading the bases for the visitors. Raider senior Amanda Ryan (West Bridgewater, MA/West Bridgewater) put a quarter in the merry-go-round unloading the bags with a double to left center to finish the frame.

The hosts could not come up with a run in the bottom of the inning while Rivier added two more in the top of the fifth putting the mercy rule in effect at 9-0. An error by Mount Ida started the frame followed by a single to center field putting runners on second and third with one down. A sacrifice fly ball to deep center by Peacock scored the runner from third taking it 8-0 advantage. The final run for the visitors came on the next batter off a single by Roy to left giving the Raiders a commanding 9-0 lead.

Mount Ida could not shake off the mercy rule in the bottom of the fifth inning unable to plate a run shutting down the Mustangs with a 9-0 victory in game one.

Mount Ida sophomore hurler Denise Picard (Winooski, VT/Winooski) worked all five innings surrendering nine hits and nine runs, only one of which was earned by the visitors, with two walks. Freshman Hillary Tarr (North Easton, MA/Cardinal Spellman) saw the mound for the visitors giving up only four hits with five strikeouts.

The Raiders picked up where they left off scoring one run in the opening inning of game two. A lead-off walk followed by a single from sophomore Marissa Mercier (North Smithfield, RI/North Smithfield) put two on with one out. A single to left field by Thornton drove in the run for the visitors to lead 1-0.

Mount Ida failed to score in the top of the first inning and would watch the visitors plate three more runs in the top of the second. The inning started with two ground outs followed by three consecutive singles that would plate the first run for the visitors making it 2-0. A throwing error by Mount Ida scored two more unearned runs putting the Raiders up 4-0 to cap the inning.

The Mustangs finally got on the board pulling within one run scoring three in the bottom of the second inning. A lead-off single by freshman Megan Hall (Danielson, CT/Killingly) followed by a double from freshman Tiffany True (Haverhill, MA/Essex Agricultural) put runners on second and third with one down. Junior Tracy Koukol (North Attleboro, MA/North Attleboro) crushed a single to right field driving in the runners to pull within two down 4-2. After a fly ball by sophomore Devan Meeker (Bantam, CT/Litchfield) moving Koukol over a base, sophomore Tiffany Hamann (Newton, MA/Newton North) popped a single over third base driving in the running trailing 4-3 to finish the frame.

Neither team could muster a run for the next four innings with solid pitching and defense on both sides. An insurance run ensued in the top of the final inning off a solo home run by Raider junior Karen Waterman (Rutland, VT/Rutland) to lead 5-3. Mount Ida was only able to add one run in the bottom of the seventh following a double by junior Erica Belliveau (Tewksbury, MA/Tewksbury Memorial) to left. That was as close as the Mustangs would get falling 5-4 in the final game of the double dip.

Meeker pitched the final contest for the Mustangs surrendering 10 hits on five runs, three of which were earned, with five fans and three base-on-balls. Tarr pitched five full frames in game two giving up seven hits and three runs. Freshman Lauren Beatty (Sherman, CT/New Milford) collected the save finishing off the last two innings with two strikeouts and two hits.