Kelly Leonard '15 pitched a three-hitter in Game 1, and Sam Miller '14 homered in both games as Hamilton College split a non-conference doubleheader at Morrisville State College on March 28.
Hamilton (5-7 overall) took the first game 5-1, but fell 8-6 in the nightcap. The second game was called due to darkness after the Continentals batted in the top of the sixth inning. Hamilton was playing for the first time since its return from a spring break trip to Florida.
Leonard didn't issue a single walk in Game 1, and struck out 11 batters. Miller paced the Continentals offensively with two hits and three runs batted in. Ashley Perritt '14 doubled and finished with three hits, and Katie Puccio '15 and Monique St. Jarre '15 each smacked a double. Perritt and Puccio each drove in and scored a run. Jenn Rougeux '14 and Summer Bottini '14 both singled and scored a run.
Starting pitcher Jenna D'Ercole surrendered nine hits and five earned runs in seven innings of work for the Mustangs. D'Ercole walked one batter and fanned nine. Nicole Duchene picked up two hits and Cassandra Smith doubled in the run for Morrisville.
Hamilton jumped out to an early lead with three runs in the top of the first inning. Rougeux led off with a walk and stole second one batter later. Puccio doubled home Rougeux, and Miller followed with a home run to put the Continentals ahead 3-0.
Hamilton stretched its lead to 4-0 in the top of the third when Perritt doubled and later scored on an RBI single by Miller. The Continentals scored their fifth run in the top of the seventh inning when Perritt singled home Bottini.
Morrisville (4-2) got a run back in the bottom of the seventh inning. Duchene led off with a single and later came around to score on the double by Smith to make it 5-1. But that was as close as the Mustangs could get, as Leonard got the final Morrisville batter to pop out to end the game.
In Game 2, Duchene and Maranda Owens paced the Mustangs' offense with two hits and two runs batted in apiece, and Duchene scored two runs. Gabriella Gallart, Eileen Farrell and Samantha Porter each collected two hits, and Gallart and Porter drove in runs. D'Ercole started in the circle and scattered 10 hits and five earned runs over six innings of work. D'Ercole walked one batter and struck out four.
Puccio and Melissa Kaknis '13 blasted home runs for the Continentals and Miller homered for the third straight game. Perritt tripled and scored two runs, Chelsea Merritt '14 added two hits and Kristen Pallen '12 singled. Perritt started in the circle and gave way to St. Jarre in the second inning. Leonard pitched the final 2.1 innings, allowed two hits, walked one batter and struck out four.
Hamilton again jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Rougeux led off with a single, Perritt reached on an error and one batter later, Miller lifted a sacrifice fly to right field. Kaknis followed with a two-run blast to cap the inning.
Morrisville struck back with two runs in the bottom of the first. Duchene was issued a leadoff walk and later came around to score on a single by Smith. Owens singled home Kayla Walker later in the inning to pull the Mustangs within 3-2.
The Continentals scored three runs in the top of the third inning to take a 6-2 lead. Perritt led off with a triple and scored on a wild pitch. Puccio and Miller then blasted back-to-back home runs to finish the scoring for Hamilton.
Morrisville took the lead for good with six runs on five hits, including Porter's RBI double, in the bottom of the inning. The Continentals were unable to get any closer over the final three innings.
Hamilton travels to Wesleyan University for a NESCAC game on Friday, March 30, at 5 p.m.
