PLYMOUTH – Sophomore Heather Bartolo had the only hit for the Panthers as the PSU softball team was swept by Western Connecticut State University 6-0 and 4-0 in PSU’s regular season finale at D&M Park.
WestConn junior Shelby Slie struck out 13 Panthers in six innings during the day game, allowing only a first-inning single to Bartolo. Slie improved to 8-3 overall with a 0.80 ERA (Earned Run Average). Junior Cortney Romyns joined Slie in shutting down the Panthers, allowing no hits to PSU in the nightcap. Romyns went fourth-and-two thirds innings and stuck out eight. Slie came in to earn the save, pitching two-and one-third innings, allowing no hits and no runs.
WestConn is currently third in the Little East Conference with a 1.84 ERA while Plymouth State holds a 3.52 ERA.
Plymouth completed their regular season at 13-18 overall and 5-9 in the LEC while the Colonials improved to 19-11 overall and 8-4 in the conference.
Bartolo had one hit in the bottom on the first inning, but Slie was able to shut down the Panthers the rest of the way.
The Colonials went up 2-0 early against Plymouth, while PSU’s bats remained lifeless. WestConn put the game away early after junior Brittany Finkeldey tripled and Megan Cirigliano nailed a two-run home run. WestConn was able to score in the sixth and seventh innings to take the first game from Plymouth.
The nightcap featured a pitcher’s duel between Romyns and first-year Kat Roland, as both teams remained scoreless through four innings.
The Colonials got onto the board in the fifth inning when Roland walked the first batter and hit the next, putting the first two batters on she faced. Senior Jess Cioffi hit an RBI single to put WestConn onto the board first. Finkeldey brought another run home with a suicide squeeze to put the Colonials up 2-0.
The Panthers threatened a run in the bottom of the fifth inning. After two outs were recorded, sophomore Loren Angiolillo committed and error at shortstop, putting a runner on base. After walking both sophomore Leanne Barry and Bartolo, Slie was called to the mound with the bases loaded. Unfortunately, a strikeout to junior Danielle Normand ended the Colonials’ danger and the Panthers’ chance to score runs.
Western added two more runs in the top of the sixth when Romyns slaughtered a two-run homer, her fourth of the season. Romyns earned the win to improve to 7-2 while Slie earned her fifth save.
The Little East Conference Tournament began on Thursday, hosted by regular season champion Rhode Island College. The sixth-seeded Panthers met top-seeded RIC in the first game on Thursday.