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Softball Swept By Rivier

Raiders pitching too strong for Rams.

Softball Swept By Rivier
April 22, 2011

Rivier College pitcher Hillary Tarr (North Easton, MA) threw two complete game shut outs today as the Raiders beat the Suffolk University Rams 10-0 and 4-0 in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) double header in Nashua, NH.  Rivier capitalized on four Suffolk errors in game one to snag 9 runs in the first two innings and scored three runs in the first inning of game two after another Rams error that extended the inning.  In both games combined the Rams allowed just 4 earned runs, all others were unearned after errors in the field.

 
The rams had a chance in the top of the first in game one  to put a run across after leadoff batter Monica Cioffi (E. Boston, MA) hit a single to right field and advanced to third on two straight sacrifices, but a soft grounder back to Tarr ended the inning.   Rivier's Nicole Peacock then led off the bottom half of the inning with a single past the shortstop and immediately stole second, and eventually stole third, to put herself in position to score the game's first run on an Amanda Ryan (W. Bridgewater, MA) single into left field.  Ryan advanced to second on a wild pitch, which would become significant, and Marissa Mercier (N. Smithfield, RI) struck out swinging, but a dropped third strike that got past the catcher allowed Mercier to reach first base and Ryan to advance to third.  Had Ryan not moved up on the wild pitch earlier, Mercier would have been out as the batter is not allowed to run on a dropped third strike if first base is occupied.  Now with just one out and two runners on Amanda Thornton (Hanover, MA) ripped a single into left field that scored Ryan, making it 2-0.  The woes continued for Suffolk as Karen Waterman (Rutland, VT) hit a grounder back to the pitcher, who threw the ball into the dirt and past the first baseman, which allowed Mercier to score and left Thornton at third base.  Britnii Dyer (Douglas, MA) then hit a ground ball to shortstop who with one out tried to cut off the runner headed home, but Thornton beat the throw and everybody was safe.  Suffolk finally recorded the second out of the inning as the Raiders attempted a double steal and Waterman was caught at home plate and the third out came on the ninth batter of the inning on a ground ball to second.
 
Suffolk started the second inning with another single to right field by Karina Bolster (Carlisle, PA), but couldn't advance her past first base as Tarr induced two fly balls and a ground out to end the inning.  Rivier again batter 1 through 9 in the bottom of the second and scored five more runs to make it 9-0.  Peacock started things off again with a single and then stole second on the first pitch to put herself in scoring position.  Another Suffolk error put Catherine Roy (Dracut, MA) on base and allowed Peacock to score and a double by Ryan scored Roy.  A second error two batters later kept the inning going for the Raiders and Tarr, hitting in the eight spot made Suffolk pay as she ripped a double into right-center field to score the fourth and fifth runs of the inning.
 
The Raiders added one more run in the third, which again was an unearned run, to make it 10-0.  The Rams threatened in the fourth to score runs after two singles by Lindsay Rogers (Gloucester, MA) and Samantha McGilvray (Brighton, MA) led off the inning, but both runners were stranded as Tarr got three straight outs to hold the Rams scoreless.  The game was stopped after the fifth inning due to the eight run rule in place in NCAA Softball.
 
Tarr picked up the win, going all 5 innings while allowing 4 hits, 1 walk and 2 strikeouts.  McGilvray pitched 3 innings for the Rams and took the loss giving up 9 runs, only 3 earned, on 6 hits with 4 strikeouts.
 
The second game started much like the first, The Rams got a runner to third, but couldn't get her home and the Raiders were again able to take advantage of a Rams error to keep the inning going and score three runs.  Two quick outs for Rams starting pitcher Liz Galvin (Medway, MA) made it look like it was going to be a quick inning, but a single by Amanda Ryan followed by a Suffolk error to put two runners on the base paths opened the door for Amanda Thornton to hit a bases clearing triple into right field to score two runs.  The next batter, Waterman, was hit by a pitch and a single by Dyer scored the Raiders third run.  Tarr struck out to end the inning and leave two runners stranded, but because of the error, the damage had already been done.  All three runs were unearned for Galvin, who should have been out of the inning after just four batters.
 
Rivier added one run in the bottom of the third as Dyer lifted a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Mercier who had reached on a single earlier in the inning.  Thornton was thrown out at third on the play as she tried to advance on the throw to home plate to end the inning. 
 
Suffolk threatened in both the fifth and sixth innings, putting runner on second and third in each.  Three singles in the Rams fifth couldn't produce a run and a walk followed by a double left runners at second and third in the sixth as Tarr recorded four of her eight strikeouts in those two innings to keep the Rams from crossing the plate.
 
Tarr pitched all seven innings of game two, allowing no runs on just five hits, two walks and eight strikeouts.  This is the first time Tarr has ever pitched complete games in both ends of a double header and the first time she has ever thrown back to back shutouts.  The two wins improve Rivier to 19-11 overall and 11-9 in GNAC play.
 
Galvin took the loss for the Rams, giving up just 1 earned run on 8 hits and 5 strikeouts.  The Rams fall to 9-25 overall and 4-14 in the GNAC.
 
(Story courtesy of Rivier College Sports Information)