KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- March 16, 2007 - Errors continued to plague a young Springfield College softball team as the spring break trip ended on a sour note. In its final two games in Kissimmee, the team totaled seven miscues in losses to Central College of Iowa and Kean University of New Jersey. The Pride will return home with a record of 4-6.

In the first game, junior righthander Stephanie Blackman (Stamford, Conn.) pitched the full seven innings in a 5-2 loss to Central, giving up just two earned runs against a notably strong lineup. Four errors, however, contributed to three more runs for The Dutch who are ranked eighth nationally in the latest Division III poll.

Shortstop Jaime Moran (Manchester, Conn.) and catcher Michelle Wlosek (Nutley, N.J.) accounted for most of The Pride's offense. The two freshmen each went two-for-two, with Wlosek scoring a run and Moran knocking one in.

In the second game, left-handed sophomore Samantha Rhodes (Mendon, Mass.) took the mound for Springfield in its Spring Break finale against Kean University, but couldn't get in sync early with junior catcher Lauren D'Arrigo (Lexington, Mass.). Three errors, two passed balls, and two walks in the second inning contributed to Kean’s scoring five runs, all of which were unearned.

Freshman Courtney Kapinos (South Hadley, Mass.) pitched well in relief, giving up six hits and one earned run in 4.2 innings, but the damage done in the second was too much for the Pride to overcome in the 6-1 loss.

Offensively, the Pride did more than the score might indicate. Sophomore outfielder Angela Atkins (East Haddam, Conn.) had a strong outing, going 2-for-3 on the day, and junior second baseman Denise Fumicello (Brockton, Mass.) went 2-for-2 with Springfield's only RBI. Unfortunately the team could not get the big, timely hits, and as a result left four runners in scoring position during the course of the game.

published: 03/21/2007