Owls Beat Gordon, Darkness in Doubleheader Sweep

WESTFIELD, Mass. –    Christina Ciampa's (Rockville, Conn./Vernon-Rockville) three-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning lifted Westfield State to a 8-3 win in a game shortened by darkness, and a doubleheader sweep over Gordon College in a non-conference matchup on Friday afternoon.

Westfield won game one in an 11-8 slugfest.

The Owls bats did just enough to counter the big bat of Gordon shortstop Ami Rivera (Concord, N.H./Bishop Brady), who hit three home runs in the doubleheader – one in game one and two in game two.

In the nightcap, Rivera hit a 2-run shot in the top of the first to stake the Flying Scots to a 2-0 lead, then tattooed a mammoth blast to left field in the fourth to give Gordon a 3-2 lead.

With sunset looming, Westfield mounted its rally in the bottom of the fifth inning.  Sabrina Testa (Hudson, N.H./Alvirne) walked to lead off the inning, and Abby Higgins (Orleans, Mass./Nauset) followed with a base hit up the middle to put runners at first and second, and then pinch hitter Meghan Doyle (Marshfield, Mass.) delivered what would prove to be the game inning hit with a base hot up the middle that scored pinch runner Meredith Higgins  (Enfield, Conn.) from second.

Skylar Dutra (Mashpee, Mass.) delivered a pinch-hit double to score another run, and Ciampa followed with a three-run homer on a high fly down the left field line to cap the scoring.

Ciampa finished with a pair of hits, two runs scored, and three RBI, and Alyssa Clark finished with a pair of hits for the Owls.   Gianna Conte (Greenfield, Mass.)  earned the win in relief of starting pitcher Katherine Canty (Natick, Mass.).

Rivera was 2-2 with two runs and three RBI for Gordon.  Starting pitcher Emily Graham (Amesbury, Mass./Whittier Tech) took the pitching loss.

In the opener, both pitchers knew they were in for a long day with the wind steadily blowing out to center field.

Gordon jumped out to a 2-0 lead on an RBI double from Ami Rivera and an RBI single from Jayden Johnson (Concord, N.H./Bishop Brady). The Scots led 5-1 after Rivera hit a monstrous three-run blast well beyond the left-centerfield fence in the second inning.

The Owls swung the momentum back their way in the bottom of the third scoring six times to grab a 7-5 lead.  Jordyn Lummus (Pittsfield, Mass.) and Bingham each had RBI singles, and Clark added a two run double to give the Owls a 6-5 lead.

Westfield boosted the lead to 11-5 on another RBI double from Clark in the fifth.

Gordon scrapped for a pair of unearned runs in the sixth, and Johnson delivered an RBI single in the seventh to trim the final margin to 11-8.

Westfield starter Stephanie Scoville (W, 5-1) scattered 12 hits and worked around three Owls errors in allowing four earned runs.  She struck out four and walked just one.  Clark finished with a pair of hit and five RBI, and Lummus had three hits and three runs scored in five at-bats.

Rivera finished 2-4 with four RBI and two runs scored and Isabella Rivera (Concord, N.H.) and Graham added two hits each.  Starting pitcher Mara Little (L, 5-4) took the loss, working 2.1 innings and allowing 10 hits and seven earned runs.

Westfield State is now 9-5 on the season with the sweep, while Gordon dips to 9-9.

Westfield will next host Smith College in a 3:00 p.m. doubleheader on Wednesday.  Gordon will travel to Salem State on Tuesday.