WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – The Wesleyan softball team split a Sunday road NESCAC doubleheader at Little Three rival Williams, falling 3-0 in game one before winning game two in a 2-0 shutout. The split keeps Wesleyan (17-14, 7-9 NESCAC) in a good position in the league standings entering the final week of the regular season.
 
Wesleyan had trouble dealing with Williams All-American pitcher Sadie Leonard in game one as the Ephs' ace tossed a complete game shutout, allowing just four hits in the 3-0 win. The Cardinals had a pair of chances early on as Molly Lennon '26 led off with a double in the 1^st inning while Wesleyan had two runners on and one out in the 2^nd, only for Leonard to end both inning with multiple strikeouts including three straight in the 1^st.
 
Williams got on the board with a two-run 2^nd inning, but Cardinal pitcher Whitney Gigante '28 stranded the bases with two outs to keep the deficit at 2-0. The Ephs tacked on an insurance run in the 6^th while the Cardinals had no answer for Leonard as Wesleyan didn't have a baserunner reach scoring position in the final five innings.   
 
It was another pitcher's duel in game two of the doubleheader, with Ella DeCrescenzo '27 leading the Cardinals with a complete game shutout, outdueling Katie Blanch in the process who allowed just four hits and two unearned runs as the Ephs were made to pay for four errors.
 
DeCrescenzo stranded two Williams runners in scoring position in the 1^st and 3^rd innings while she left a runner on third in the 4^th. The Cardinals took the lead in the 5^th as Sam Chappell '28 singled down the left field line then advanced to second on an error by the left fielder. In the next at-bat, Katie Foley '28 grounded out to second but Chappell advanced all the way home from second on an error by the first baseman.
 
The Cardinals added another run in the 6^th as Cat Palmer '26 reached on an error to lead off the inning. Pinch runner Lucia Zaremba '29 stole second then came around to score on another costly error, this time by the shortstop, to make it 2-0 Wesleyan. The Cardinals had runners on second and third with one out but couldn't plate another as a fielder's choice to home and a groundout to pitcher finished the inning.
 
DeCrescenzo stranded one runner in both the 5^th and 6^th innings, setting the stage for the. 7^th when Justine Dunaway led off with a walk. A fielder's choice out followed before an error put two runners on-base with one out. Unfazed by the tying run being on first base, DeCrescenzo needed just three pitches for the final two outs of the game, sealing the 2-0 win.
 
Just one day removed from a complete game win over Colby wherein she allowed just one unearned run, DeCrescenzo was at it again as she went the distance for her first career complete game shutout. The junior allowed eight hits and one walk with one strikeout and needed just 83 pitches.
 
Wesleyan heads into the final week of the regular season with a Thursday road doubleheader at WestConn before wrapping up league play on Saturday with a doubleheader at Middlebury.