Ephs drop pair out West
ORANGE, CA -- The Williams College softball team experienced losses at each end of the spectrum Wednesday, losing a nail-biter, 2-1, to Whitworth and falling 15-3 to NAIA power Concordia at the Sunwest Tournament.
The Ephs are now 8-8 and conclude their trip Thursday with games against Wellesley (10:45 a.m. PST) and Elmhurst (1 p.m.). In the New England Intercollegiate Softball Coaches Assocation Top 10 poll released Wednesday, Wellesley is No. 1 and Williams No. 9.
In Wednesday's first game, Williams scored a run in the first and Whitworth countered with two in the fourth. The Ephs loaded the bases twice but could not score. Becky Sansone led the team with a 2 for 3 peformance that included a double and a run scored.
"We didn't come out with a lot of energy, we made some mistakes and we never really got anything going," said Ephs head coach Kris Herman. "Their pitcher was a groundball pitcher -- she recorded 14 groundball outs -- and she did a nice job."
Morgan Simpson started and tossed a complete game for Williams. Simpson gave up five hits and two walks over six innings while striking out five. Both runs she allowed were unearned.
"She pitched very well for us," Herman said.
The nightcap was no picnic as Concordia hit the ball well and often. First-year Caitlyn Cain got the start for Williams and lasted 3 1/3 innings, giving up 13 hits and nine runs, eight earned, while walking no one and striking out one.
