By Mike
Buchanan
mbuchanan@digitalsports.com
Archbishop Spalding (10-1, 9-0) tightened its grip on
first place in the IAAM A Conference softball race with a 6-2 win yesterday over
second-place Mount de Sales.
The host Cavaliers scored single runs in each of the first
three innings, and Elaine Nescio pitched a complete game, allowing just two
runs while striking out nine, while facing only 24 batters. Nescio improved her season record to 8-1, with an ERA of 0.92.
Delaney Bell doubled in the first run and Casey O’Neill
plated the second on a single.
Mount de Sales (9-7, 6-4) got on the scoreboard with a run
in the fourth and then made it a 3-2 game with another run in the top of the
sixth. One of those runs came on a home run from Merkel.
Spalding gave Nescio some breathing room with three
insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth to extend the lead to 6-2. Nescio
then took care of the Sailors in the seventh to seal the win.
Emily Weiman (FR, 3B) went 2-for-3 at the plate, as did Jenn Rindone (JR, LF) who had a double as one of her two hits. Casey O'Neill was 1-for-3 with two RBI.
The Cavaliers look to extend their winning ways when they
host IND
today, Wednesday in another A Conference battle.
"With the win, we clinched the #1 seed in the A Conference tournament," said Coach Paul O'Brien. "We still have some tough games left against very strong oponents, and it is important for us to go into the playoffs with good momentum. We are trying to keep that edge that has given us so much success this season. That will be a challenge. But with the senior leadership on this team, i feel we can stay up for every game."
Yesterday, O'Brien got the perfect trifecta: great pitching, timely hitting and solid defense. The Cavs supported Nescio with 10 hits and were flawless in the field. With execution like that, Spalidng will be tough to beat.
Archbishop
Spalding 6, Mount de Sales 2
M 000 101
0 - 2
3 3
S 111 003
x - 6 10 0
Prince, Marks (6) and Marks, Fioretti (6); Nescio and
Catucci.
2B: S – Bell, Rindone. HR: M – Merkel.