From Apr. 1-4, NEC’s softball team has played a total of eight games. The Grims won more than half of those games, four of which were won on their home field.
On Friday, Apr. 1, the softball team played a doubleheader on their home field against the University of Maine at Presque Isle (UMPI) Owls. In the first game, although the Owls were the first to score, the Grims came backfiring when Emily Nelson hit a triple to right field, allowing Destiny Cardona to score NEC’s first run. Daelyn Ross then gave the Pilgrims the lead with a home run that she hit left-center. The game went back-and-forth until the bottom of the fifth inning ,when the Grims scored five runs and maintained a lead for the rest of the game. The final score ended up being 10-7 in favor of NEC. The second game was not nearly as close of a game. The Grims shut down the Owls in five innings with an 8-0 win. NEC scored a run every inning, and Ross got her second home run of the day. Emily Farone pitched a notable five innings during which she was able to strike out a UMPI batter
and only allow the Owls to get two hits.
On Saturday, Apr. 2, NEC came out with hot bats in a doubleheader on their home field against the University of Maine at Farmington (UMF) Beavers. The Grims confidently defeated the Beavers in both the first game, which ended with a final score of 6-1 and the second game, which ended with a final score of 12-0. Farone came out strong again, pitching seven innings during which she struck out six UMF batters and only allowed the Beavers to score one run. Two home runs were hit in second game; one was hit by Jailen Dickens and the other was Ross’s third home run in four games. Olivia Olson had an impressive at bat during both games; she went five for six, scored three runs and had three RBIs.
On Sunday, Apr. 3, the Grims played a double-header on their home field against the Keene State College (KSC) Owls. Both games were centered around defense. Great plays on the field were made by both teams. The first game was neck-and-neck until the seventh inning when the Owls scored three runs off a home run, making the final score 4-9 in favor of KSC. The second game was a pitching battle for the most part, which ended with a final score of 0-2 in favor of the Owls.
On Monday, Apr. 4, NEC traveled to the Salem State University (SSU) Vikings’ field for an intense doubleheader. In the first game, although SSU was first to score, NEC bounced back in the top of the fifth inning by scoring five runs. The Vikings tied up the game in the bottom of the same inning, and the score remained tied until the game proceeded with extra innings. In the top of the eighth inning, Ross hit an RBI that allowed two runs to score for NEC. However, in the bottom of that inning, the Vikings were also able to score two runs, causing the game to continue into the ninth inning, during which the Vikings were able to score for the win. The final score was 7-8 in favor of SSU. The second game did not go into extra innings, but it was no less intense. The Vikings scored first again, but the Grims were able to take the lead in the top of the sixth inning with three runs. Destiny Helmedach made NEC history when she scored one of these runs; she beat 2001 graduate Renee Hellert’s record for most runs scored by scoring her 106th run. SSU only scored one more run in the bottom of the seventh inning, causing NEC to win the game with a final score of 3-2.
