Softball Drops Pair to Open Season in Florida

CLERMONT, FL - Westfield State freshman shortstop Alyssa Clark rapped out a double in her first collegiate at bat, and added a triple in game 2 as Westfield State dropped a doubelheader to New England College at Legends Way Stadium on the opening day of the Owls 10-game road trip to Florida.

New England College took a 3-0 win in game 1 behind a dominant pitching performance from Taylor Barbour, who allowed just one hit on Clark's first inning double off the left center field wall.  Barbout struck out 14 and walked just one.  Emily Arredondo took the hard-luck decision in the circle for Westfield. She allowed just one earned run in six innings.

In the nightcap, Westfield rallied from a 6-0 second-inning deficit, as the Owls pushed across five runs of their own in the bottom of the second.  Clark drove in two with a triple off of the right center field wall, and Megan Metzger followed with an RBI single to score Clark which cut the Pilgrims lead to 6-5.

NEC answered with two more runs in the fourth.  Sam Hallice added an RBI single for the Owls in the fifth, but the Pilgrims tacked on two more runs in the seventh.  Brenna Welch took the pictching loss for the Owls, while Barbour picked up the win in game 2 in relief.

NEC improved to 6-6 as they completed their Florida trip.  Westfield State is now 0-2. The Owls are back in action tomorrow.