CLERMONT, Fla. – Securing a season opening victory with a walk-off homer,
Isabella Secaira-Cotto '25 lead the Wesleyan softball team split a pair of games on the opening day of their Spring Break trip to Clermont, Fl., as the senior's home run put Wesleyan up by two for a 7-6 win over Saint Joseph's (Maine) before they fell in the second game of the day to Springfield, 10-1, from Hancock Park.
HIGHLIGHTS (7-6 victory vs. Saint Joseph's)
- Held scoreless through the first two innings of play, the Monks managed to get on the board first at the top of the 3rd inning on a double play as Chantelle Bouchard struck down the infield line for Sadie Tirrell, situated at second, to travel home.
- While Lizzie Marino '25 was able to steal a base in the 3rd, the Cardinals had to wait their turn again through the 4th as the Monks' Lydia Goodnough and Mollie Verreault gave the Monks a three-run lead heading into the bottom of the inning.
- Secaira-Cotto singled out right on her first hit of the inning and was able to advance to second as Darlene De La Cruz '25 sent the pitch down the middle. With another single down the middle, Waverly Smart '27 had the bases loaded for Revi Brown '23 now up to bat.
- Brown sent their pitch back down the middle, sending both Secaira-Cotto and De La Cruz home to bring the Cardinals within one as they finished the play at second base.
- Smart tied the game up at three runs, scoring on a passed ball.
- With Brown at second, Marino singled out to right center, allowing Brown to score. Behind Brown, Kelly Baker '26 scored on the play on the throw to give the Cardinals their first lead at 5-3.
- The Monks tied the game up at five in the 5th inning, Sylvia Foley and Goodnough both scoring.
- Pinch hitting for De La Cruz '25, Secaira-Cotto, with Cat Palmer '26 on first base, struck a walk-off homer to win the game as the Cardinals pulled away as both Palmer and Secaira-Cotto rounded the remaining bases.
NOTES:
- From the circle, Secaira-Cotto was the only Cardinals pitcher to strike out a Monks batter (11 H, 6 ER, 2 SO).
- Secaira-Cotto finished the offensive end of the game with two runs on two hits and two RBI with the game-winning homer.
- Ella DeCrescenzo '27 pitched two innings in her first showing as a Cardinal (3 H, 0ER).
- Marino tied Secaira-Cotto with two RBI while Smart finished with two hits.
HIGHLIGHTS (10-1 loss vs. Springfield):
- With Ava Rainone advanced three times, she scored on a wild pitch to give the Pride a one run lead to open the game. Callie Gendron doubled to center, allowing Carissa Pecchia and Amelia DeRosa to score. Gendron scored on her own as Breannah McCann singled up the middle. The Pride would take a 4-0 lead.
- DeRosa kickstarted the second inning with a double out to left field. Pecchia followed her with a homer to center, both scored, giving the Pride a very early six-run lead.
- McCann made it seven runs with a single that sent Sarah Falcone to home plate. Emily Whelan made it eight runs after scoring on a fielding error.
- Rainone scored again as Pecchia singled out to left field on an infield error. And DeRosa tallied the final run for the Pride as she ran 3rd base and then home on a single from Emilia Santiago.
- Nicole Celi '27, pinch hitting for Marino, singled to left field and advanced to second on a bunt hit. Celi advanced again on a hit from Molly Lennon '26. Celi gets the Cardinals on the board on a Palmer sacrifice fly ball.
NOTES:
The Cardinals return to action on Tuesday, March 12, when they play Rutgers-Camden at 9:15 a.m. and Meredith at 1:45 p.m. at the Legends Way Ballfields.
