Clermont, Fla. - March 10, 2024 - The Springfield College softball team opened up the 2024 campaign with an 11-0, five-inning victory over Fredonia before a 4-3 victory over Haverford College this afternoon.

On Monday, Springfield is slated to face off with Wesleyan University at 4:15 pm and St. Joseph's College of Maine at 6:30 pm at Hancock Park.

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Springfield 11, Fredonia 0 (5 inn.)

Amelia DeRosa (Miller Place, N.Y.) allowed just one hit and struck out five in five innings of work while also going 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBI and three runs scored.  Ava Rainone (White Plains, N.Y.) totaled three hits from the leadoff spot and Breannah McCann (Poway, Calif.) added three hits of her own as Springfield would produce 18 hits in the contest.  

Springfield struck for a run in the first inning as Rainone registered an infield single and stole second to move into scoring position.  Three batters later, Callie Gendron (Berlin, Conn.) ripped a double to center field to plate the Pride's first run of the season.

In the second, Springfield manufactured five runs off seven hits, highlighted by a two-run double from DeRosa and a single Carissa Pecchia (Mamaroneck, N.Y.) which plated a pair. The Pride pushed its lead to 9-0 after three innings of play thanks to run-scoring singles from Gendron, Michaela Ponticello (Gloversville, N.Y.), and McCann. With runners on second and third and two outs on the board in the bottom of the fourth, Lyndsay Donston (South Windsor, Conn.) connected on a two-run single to complete the game's scoring.  

DeRosa was two outs away from opening up the season with a no-hitter, but a single through the left side broke up the bid.  However, the next better lined out to DeRosa, who doubled up the runner on first to conclude the game. 

Springfield 4, Haverford 3

Rainone and Marissa Seyfert (Farmingdale, N.Y.) led Springfield with two hits apiece against Haverford, while in relief Emily Gell (Trumbull, Conn.) pitched three shutout frames and struck out four for her first win of 2024.

Springfield used a squeeze bunt with runners on the corners for a 1-0 lead in the top of the second and doubled its advantage in the third on an RBI double from Gendron. Haverford took its first lead of the game with a three spot in the bottom of the fourth as Abby Litchfield, Jocelyn Leal and Addie Sapirstein all tallied RBI base knocks for the Fords.

The Pride responded right away in the top of the next inning when Rainone lined a one out single to the outfield, stole second and scored on a hit by Pecchia. Later in the frame, Lucy Puskas (Roxbury, Conn.) pinch hit with the bases loaded and worked a walk for what proved to be the game-winning run.

Gell allowed two bases runners to reach in the bottom of the fifth and then shutdown the Fords 1-2-3 in the sixth and the seventh to preserve the 4-3 win for Springfield.