MCLA Loses Season Finale at Williams

MCLA came up short in its final games of the season to its western neighbors Williams College by scores of 7-3 and 11-2.

Ali Hart made sure her final at-bat in a Williams uniform was a memorable one Monday as she launched a two-run homer to right field with no outs in the bottom of the fifth, sending her Ephs to an 11-2, mercy-rule shortened win.

Hart's game-ender was the fifth home run of the game for the Ephs, who completed their season on a seven-game win streak that allowed them to finish 22-16. Williams won game won 7-3, scoring six times in the bottom of the sixth inning to pull out the victory.

Williams built a 9-0 lead in the nightcap centered around the longball. First-year Eph Lindsey Precht got a six-run second inning started when she lined a shot over the left-field fence for a three-run home run, scoring Merrilee Weston, who had singled, and Kaitlin Dinet, who reached on an error. One out later Hart lined a frozen rope to straightaway center for a solo homer. After Mo Frankl singled, sophomore Ally Ensor hit another screaming liner over the fence in right for a two-run homer and 6-0 lead.

Three runs in the third made it 9-0. Dinet led off with a double and Precht followed with a towering two-run shot to left. With two outs, Frank singled and Ensor shot a liner to right for an RBI-double.

MCLA rallied with two runs after one out in the fifth. With one out, Kayla Koumjian singled. With two outs, Kendra Hobbs walked. An RBI-single through the left side from Angelica Perfido made it 9-1, and the Trailblazers stayed alive when Hobbs scored on a wild pitch.

Williams Emma Harrington earned the win, going the first 4 1/3 and allowing three hits and no runs while walking two and striking out nine. Kelly Pirzl took the loss, tossing the first two innings for MCLA and being charged with seven earned runs.

Perfido was 3 for 3 with an RBI in the loss for MCLA and Koumjian went 2 for 3 with a run scored. Kendra Hobbs walked twice and scored a run.

In the opener, Williams held a slim 1-0 lead thanks to an RBI-double from Weston in the fourth. MCLA rallied off Williams starter Megan Casey in the top of the sixth, scoring three times. Hobbs singled, stole second, and went to third on a single by Perfido. Taylor Warnock got the first run in, and a bases loaded walk to Marissa Mendetta made it 2-1 MCLA.

The Ephs rallied in their half of the sixth. A squeeze by Zoe Dillon-Davidson made it 3-2 and Dinet's run-scoring fielder's choice tied the game. Legan had the big hit, a line shot to left center that scored Dinet with the go-ahead run. Hart followed with a two-run single up the middle and scored on a wild pitch.

Ainsley Macdonald took the loss for MCLA, allowing nine hits and seven runs, only two earned, over six innings. Dinet earned the win in relief of Casey. Casey went the first 5 2/3 innings, allowing five hits and three runs, all earned. She walked two and struck out five.

It was the final game for MCLA seniors Kaitland Hager, Pirzl and Koumjian.