WELLESLEY, Mass. – In a key early-season NEWMAC match-up, Wellesley softball hosted the Coast Guard Academy this afternoon at Wellesley College. The visting Bears snagged game one in extra innings, 3-1.  Game two was suspended after eight innings of play, with the scored tied at 1-1.  The win lifts Coast Guard 17-2 on the season, 3-0 in the NEWMAC. Wellesley now stands at 6-7, 2-1 in conference play.

In the opening game the Bears threatened in the top of the first, using a walk and singles from Annette Boston (Oceanside, Ca) and Amanda Frederick (Lebanon, OH) to load the bases with one out. But BarbaraJean Grundlock (Blackwood, NJ) retired the next two batters to end the inning. The Blue then got on the board in the bottom of the inning, as Amanda Tai (Melrose, MA) led off with a single and came around to score on Alison Davis's (Glen Ellyn, IL) single to give the Blue a 1-0 edge.

Coast Guard tied the game in the third, when Jeannie Crump (Roseville, CA) singled, advanced to second on a passed ball, moved to third on a sacrifice, then scampered home on a wild pitch.  With the score at 1-1, Wellesley threatened to break the game open in the bottom of the inning, as they loaded the bases with no outs on three consecutive singles, from Tai, Elora Daniele (Belle Mead, NJ), and Jessie Haladyna (St. John's, FL). But Coast Guard hurler Hayley Feindel (River Ridge, LA) retired three straight to end the inning.

Both pitchers settled down in the middle and late innings, holding their opponents scoreless through the remainder of regulation. In the top of the eighth, Boston was placed on second to start the inning for the Bears. Boston advanced to third on Crump's sacrifice and scored on Fredericks double to left. Fredericks then scored on Colleen Denny's (Clarence City, NY) single to center, stretching the vistior's lead to 3-1. Feindel then retired the Blue in order in the bottom of the inning for the win.

For the Bears, Frederick was 2-for-4 with 1 RBI, which proved to be the game-winner. Boston, Crump, Denny, Buchert, and Carin Sweeney (Woodbury, MN) collected one hit each. Feindel was strong in the circle, giving up only one run while scattering five hits and fanning 13.

For Wellesley, Tai was 2-for-4, while Daniele, Haladyna, and Davis picked up one hit each. Grundlock went the distance in the loss, giving up seven hits and three runs, only one of them earned.

The nightcap proved to be pitcher's duel. Feindel and Grundlock battled again through seven scoreless innings, as the Bears' ace allowed only four hits in regulation while the Wellesley hurler allowed only three.  As darkness descended, Coast Guard took a 1-0 lead in the top of the eighth, when Becky Miller (Norco, CA), who began the inning on second, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a wild pitch.  Wellesley answered in the bottom half of the frame when Tai's two-out single to right plated Alex Warren (Delta, BC) from third. At the end of the inning, play was suspended due to darkness.

Coast Guard returns to action on Friday, April 3, at 3:00 p.m., when they host WPI. Wellesley takes the field on Friday at 3:30, when they travel to Wheaton College.