Clean Sweep, PSU Softball win both against NEC

Plymouth, NH - Behind strong pitching from Vanessa Przybylo (freshman; Queensbury, NY) in game one and an offensive attack of 10 runs in game two, Plymouth swept their double-header against New England College, improving their record to 18-11 overall.

***

Game 1:  PSU - 5 NEC - 2

Przybylo went the distance, only giving up three hits, and the Panthers scored four runs in the third inning to earn a victory in game one.

Przybylo ran into trouble in the first, but was able to end the inning only giving up one run on a sacrifice fly. She wouldn't give up another run until the sixth inning, and her efforts were needed as it took awhile for the Plymouth bats to wake up.

The Panthers came into the bottom of the third down 1-0. Three straight singles from Shirley Butterfield (freshman; Atkinson, NH), Cynthia Barata (sophomore; New Fairfield, CT), and Calli DeGrace (senior; Plymouth, NH) loaded the bases to lead off the inning, and the Panthers offense had come alive. Shannon Murphy (junior; Chester, NH) drove in a pair of runs with a single to right to take a 2-1 lead. Then, Taylor Mancini (junior; Gansevoort, NY) drove in two more with a double to right, and the Panthers were on top 4-1.

That's all the run support Przybylo would need. She was touched up for one more run in the sixth, but the Panthers answered right back with an insurance run in the bottom of the inning with a Jenn Bove (senior; Medford, MA) RBI triple to make it a 5-2 game.

***

Game 2: PSU - 10 NEC - 2 (5 innings)

Plymouth erupted for five runs in the second inning, including a DeGrace grandslam, and never looked back, winning the second game and sweeping their double-header with NEC.

Barata got the start and held the NEC bats silent the majority of the game. Going into the bottom of the second, the game was knotted at 0-0. Jackie Digman (junior; Burlington, MA) struck first with a RBI single up the middle. DeGrace followed with a grandslam and Plymouth broke the game open going up 5-0.

The Plymouth offensive attack would go on to score 10 runs, while Barata and Ali Keith (senior; Northfield, NH) teamed up to hold NEC to just two runs.