On lone senior Marissa Seyfert’s senior day, the Springfield College softball team had a lot to celebrate with two huge victories over NEWMAC rival Clark, who the Pride have now won 12 straight games against. Despite the cold weather, decorations lined the dugout and the team rallied around Seyfert out in center field.
“She’s grown into her own, especially at center field,” head coach Sam Garcia said about Seyfert, “We know when a ball is getting hit out there, 95% of the time she’s going to grab it and make a beautiful play.”
Amelia DeRosa took the mound in game one for the Pride, and took command of the ballgame early on. DeRosa allowed just two hits through the first three innings of the game, and struck out the side in the top of the second inning.
Springfield started their scoring early on, setting the tone for the first game of the double-header early. With DeRosa on third due to her bloop single, Brynlee Eckels’ sacrifice bunt, and a wild pitch — catcher Callie Gendron lined a single to left for the first run of the game. The Pride scored two more in the frame thanks to first-year Katie Manzone’s line-drive into left field and a bad throw from the Cougars’ Charlise Quigley. Springfield added two more runs in the second inning, thanks to another RBI from Gendron.
On a full count in the bottom of the third, Michaela Ponticello lined a ball into deep left field, and showcased her spectacular speed — legging out a triple. Kate Katsetos scored Ponticello thanks to a sacrifice fly to deep center field.
With loads of pinch-hitters coming to the plate for Springfield, they did not capitalize early and mercy the Cougars in five innings. After Gendron threw out one of Clark’s runners attempting to steal second, the momentum was clearly in the Pride’s favor heading towards the bottom of the sixth.
DeRosa is not just an anchor on the mound — she hits the ball pretty well too. The junior totaled her fourth hit of game one on a single off the diving shortstop Gricelda Castro’s glove. Following a walk from Eckels, Castro made a crucial error to load the bases for the Pride — and with Gendron coming up to the plate it was not about to get easier. She smacked the ball down the left-field line, scoring DeRosa and Eckels to secure the 8-0 walk off victory.
“It’s not that often when you can get a pitcher that can also hit. [DeRosa]’s just a pure athlete,” Garcia said. “She helps set a tone and instill a confidence in our lineup, especially when she starts on the mound as well.”
Abby Robinson got the start once again in game two and picked up where she left off on Friday. Robinson held the Cougars hitless through the first three innings, but the Pride couldn’t generate offense to support the first-year until the bottom half of the fourth inning. With Manzone and Ponticello on second and third, second baseman Rachel Powers drove a ball into left field, scoring Manzone to put the Pride up 1-0.
As Robinson continued to set down hitters, and Clark starter Brooke Buzzeo controlling the Pride lineup as well, it looked like this game was going to be a complete pitchers duel. In the Pride portion of the sixth inning, they tacked on some crucial insurance. Ponticello singled to left, and a double lined to center by Kate Katsetos allowed the speedy left-fielder to score. Later on in the inning, with the bases loaded and two outs, catcher Carissa Pecchia grounded a ball into left field. Quigley made another costly error — allowing the ball to simply roll through her legs and scoring two more runs for the Pride.
“During game one I paid attention, and watched their lineup. When I was put in, I just knew what I had to do,” said Robinson, who got out of the game scot-free and allowed just her second hit of the afternoon in the seventh inning, generating weak contact off the Clark hitters.
Luckily, for Seyfert this is not her last game at Potter Field — as the Pride have one more home doubleheader against Manhattanville on Tuesday, April 25.
Photo Courtesy of Springfield Athletics