Softball Downed by Bay State Foe Elms, 9-1

CAPE CORAL, Fla.- The Eastern Nazarene College softball team fell to Elms College Tuesday at Century Link Complex in Florida as part of the Gene Cusic Classic.

The Lions fall to 1-4 on the spring while the Blazers improve to 1-4 overall with the decision.

Kaitlyn Jimenez (Meriden, Conn.) paced Eastern Nazarene with a pair of base knocks on the day and scored the lone run. Shelby Bass (Visalia, Calif.) notched one RBI on one hit in the game. Sterling Germani (North Kingstown, R.I.) and Breana Corell (Castle Rock, Colo.) each landed one base hit on the day.

Elms opened the scoring in the top of the second inning, capturing a 2-0 lead as Kierstan Skinner and Taylor Skinner each recorded RBI base knocks.

The Lions halved the deficit with a run in the home half of the third. With the bases full, Bass roped a single to drive in Jimenez from third base after she led off the frame with a single.

The Blazers chalked up three scores in the fourth to stretch their lead to 5-1. Jennifer Bouvier plated Elizabeth Olszewski with an RBI single. Bouvier scored on a wild pitch and T Skinner crossed the dish on an error.

Elms added a run in the fifth to widen the gap to 6-1. Rachel Beery motored home from third base on a pop-out by Bouvier.

The Blazers capped off the scoring with three runs in the seventh. Kacey Gifford doubled to drive in Bouvier and Olszewski and Taylor Croteau dashed across the plate on an error.

Carissa Cicolini (Methuen, Mass.) hurled a complete game for the Lions in the pitcher's circle, her fourth of the season. The senior struck out five batters in seven innings of action while allowing five earned runs.

Looking ahead, Eastern Nazarene returns to the diamond March 11 to take on the University of Minnesota-Morris.