Kissimmee, Fla. -- March 20, 2009 -- Senior lefthander Samantha Rhodes pitched the distance in leading the Springfield College softball team to a mercy-ruled five-inning 11-3 victory over Framingham State in its first game of the day. The Pride then dropped its finale of the Rebel Games to Illinois-Wesleyan, 4-3.With the split , Springfield finishes its trip to Florida with a 4-6 record. Of its six losses, three were by one run, and another by two runs.
Rhodes was dominant in the opener as she allowed just five hits and struck out eight in five innings of work. The Pride scored one run in the first, four in the second, and four more in the third. Framingham State scored all three of its runs in the top of the third. The big hit in the second inning was a two-run single by Danielle Spiro. One of the third inning runs came home on a sacrifice fly by Michelle Wlosek. In the fifth inning, when SC scored its final two runs, thus providing the 8-run difference, the Pride completed the mercy-rule as Aimee Cassella crushed a double that scored Laura Riccio all the way from first base.
In the second game, Megan Fitzgerald suffered the loss on the mound, pitching just 1 2/3 inings, allowing all four runs. Katie Anderson came in and was solid in relief, tossing 4 1/3 innings of shutout ball. Danielle Spiro led the Pride at the plate as she went 2-3 with a double. Springfield scored two runs in the top of the first, and added one in the fourth. In the first, one run scored on a passed ball, the other on an RBI single by Cassella. In the fourth, SC's run came home on a sacrifice fly by Amanda Novak.
Springfield will open its northern portion of the schedule with a doubleheader at home (Potter Field) Tuesday (Mar. 24) at 3:30 pm versus Amherst.
Julie Perrelli enters her fifth season at the helm of the Springfield College softball program and as an assistant professor of physical education. Coming off her first ever NEWMAC title and a NCAA berth she has compiled a 102-69 mark with a .590 winning percentage. Read more.
