BEVERLY – The Endicott softball team mercy-ruled Western New England twice on Saturday evening, 11-3 and 8-0 (6 inn.), to claim its fourth straight Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Championship.
GAME ONE: Endicott 11, Western New England 3 (6 inn.)
WP (14-3): Maria Hanchuk (South Windsor, Conn.) – 6 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 8 KLP (10-3): Ava Blanchard (New Hartford, Conn.) – 2 1/3 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Raven Comtois (Milford, N.H.) blasted a two-run homer to right field in the first inning and the Gulls never looked back.
Endicott added another run on a wild pitch in the second before Emma DaSilva (Bristol, R.I.), Dani Lear (Groveland, Mass.), and Chrissy Marotto (Southington, Conn.) all drove in runs in the third to make it 7-0.
DaSilva highlighted the trio with a two-run single to left to jumpstart the crooked inning.
After both teams exchanged runs in the fourth (9-0) and fifth (9-3) innings, respectively, DaSilva walked it off for the Gulls in the sixth with a two-run single up the middle.
The senior shortstop finished the contest going 2-for-4 with one run scored and four RBI.
GAME TWO: Endicott 8, Western New England 0 (6 inn.)
WP (16-3): Jaylin Couto (Taunton) – 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 KLP (12-7): Megan Beebe (Ellington, Conn.) – 5 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
Just like she did in game one, Comtois opened up the scoring with a two-run bomb – this time in the fifth inning – and that’s all the Gulls needed with Couto in the circle.
DaSilva also plated another run later in the frame with a double to center field for a 3-0 advantage.
In the sixth, Comtois added two more RBI with a single through the left side, while DaSilva walked it off once again for Endicott with a bases-clearing double to left center.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORES
- The Gulls have won conference championships in the following years: 1995, 1998-99, 2003-11, 2014, and 2019-23.
- Comtois went 5-for-8 with four runs scored, two homers, and six RBI in both games.
- DaSilva was 4-for-8 with one run scored, two doubles, eight RBI, and two walk-off hits.
WHAT’S NEXT
Endicott (35-7) has earned the league’s automatic qualifier into the 2023 NCAA Division III Softball Championship Tournament. First round action is scheduled for Thursday, May 18.
The NCAA Tournament Selection Show is scheduled to air on www.ncaa.com on Monday, May 15 at 1 PM.
Western New England’s season comes to a close at 28-16 overall. (Photo Credit – David Le ’10)
