CLINTON, NY. – The Wesleyan softball team played their NESCAC-opener on Sunday, competing against the Hamilton College Continentals in a double-header. The Cardinals dropped both games on the afternoon, first falling in game one 8-0 (5 in) before falling again in game two 8-4. In game one the Continentals' Natalie Bebbe was lights out in the circle, holding the Cardinals to just two hits in five innings. Hamilton drove in three runs through three innings of play, however their big half inning came in the bottom of the 4^th where they brought home five to extend the lead to 8-0. In game two  Hamilton got out to a quick offensive start again, taking a commanding 8-1 lead through three innings of play. Wesleyan would have a mini rally in the 6^th to cut the deficit to 8-3, then another run in the 7^th but that would be it as the Continentals would hold on for the sweep in Wesleyan's NESCAC opener. Hamilton improves to 10-6 (3-1 NESCAC) with the victory, while Wesleyan falls back to .500 overall at 8-8 (0-2 NESCAC).

 
GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS (8-0 Loss)

• After a scoreless first inning of play, the Continentals got on the board in the bottom of the 2^nd inning. They pieced together four hits that translated into two runs to take the early lead. Their big hit of the inning came from Alison Zorn who delivered a 2-run double to right center
• Wesleyan recorded their first hit of the contest to lead off the 3^rd inning with Krissy Gately '24 coming through with a single up the middle. A passed ball and a Revi Brown '23 getting hit by a pitch put two Cardinals on with one down, but Bebbe was able to retire the next two Cardinals' hitters to get out of it unharmed. Hamilton would use that momentum to add another run to their total in the bottom half of the inning on one hit, a walk, and a sacrifice fly to lead 3-0
• The Continentals bats stayed hot going into the 4^th inning, recording two hits, four walks and capitalizing on a Wesleyan error to put together a five-run inning to really take control of the game. Bebbe went back to work in the circle in the top of the 5^th, putting the Cardinals' down in order to secure the 8-0 victory in five innings of action

 
NOTES:

• Bebbe (5 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 K's) held the Cardinals scoreless through her five innings in the circle. Kelly Baker '26 (0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER) came in relief of Brooklin Williams '23 (3.1 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 1 K) to secure Wesleyan's final two outs in the circle
• Molly Lennon '26 (1-for-2) and Gately (1-for-2) were the only Cardinals to record hits in game one
• The Continentals outhit the Cardinals 8-2 on the day. Wesleyan's two hits are the fewest they have had this season

 
GAME 2 HIGHLIGHTS (8-4 Loss)

• Wesleyan went down in order to open the game and the Continentals got back to work in the batter box for game number two. They put together two runs on a walk, hit by pitch and a walk to take an early 2-0 lead. Wesleyan threatened in the top of the 2^nd with two walks and a Gately single, but stranded the bases loaded and the game remained 2-0 Hamilton. The Continentals added three more on three hits to go along with a pair of Wesleyan errors in the field to take a 5-0 lead into the 3^rd inning
• The Cardinals got the bats going in the top of the 3^rd, as after two outs to open the inning, Lennon singled followed by a Isabella Secaira-Cotto '25 RBI-double to left field to get on the board. Hamilton continued their impressive offensive start to the game in the bottom half of the 3^rd inning, adding three more runs on three hits to take a commanding 8-1 advantage
• Wesleyan put pressure on the Continentals' pitching with runners on in the 4^th and 5^th innings, but it was the 6^th where they broke through for a second time. Gately continued her hot streak of hitting with a leadoff triple that was followed by a sacrifice fly and Wesleyan had their second run of the game. Ciara Castillo '23 later singled to load the bases and the Cardinals were in business with only one down. Continentals' pitching settled down and only allowed one more run to make it 8-3 heading into the 7^th. With two down in the 7^th, Cat Palmer '26 singled home Baker to trim the deficit to 8-4 however it would end their as Hamilton was able to put away Brown to secure their second win of the afternoon

 
NOTES:

• Baker (3.2 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 K) came in relief and delivered 3 and two thirds scoreless innings to give the Cardinals a chance down the stretch, lowering her ERA to a team-best 1.15
• Lennon (1-for-3, 1 R) has now hit safely in 11 straight games and 14 of 16 games this season
• Gately (3-for-4, 1 3B, 1 R) finished the double-header 4-for-6 with a run and a triple. Palmer (2-for-3, 1 R, 1 RBI) joined her as the only other Cardinal to have multiple hits
• The Continentals outhit the Cardinals 11-10, with Wesleyan leaving 11 runners on base

 
UP NEXT:
The Cardinals will compete in another road double-header this week, this time a non-conference affair against the Coast Guard Bears who currently hold a record of 10-2.