Softball Takes Two from Hartford on Opening Day, 9-1, 5-1

Wednesday, March 29

Providence, RI

2 pm

Brown University

7-13

Hartford

3-19

Hartford

Brown

Softball Takes Two from Hartford on Opening Day, 9-1, 5-1

3/29/2017 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Brown University softball began play on its new field with a pair of wins, defeating the University of Hartford, 9-1, in six innings in game one and, 5-1, in game two on Opening Day at the Brown Softball Field on Wednesday afternoon.

The Bears (8-13) have now won seven of their last eight games with their pair of victories over the visiting Hawks (3-20), starting the first game with five runs en route to the home-opening win and responding after facing an early 1-0 deficit in game two. Brown beat Hartford for the third time this season after taking a 3-1 decision on Mar. 19.

Freshman Kaitlin Okimoto (Burbank, Calif.) went 5-for-7 with a double, RBI, and run between the two games while junior Annie McGregor (Carlsbad, Calif.) and freshman Raquel Blanchard (Valencia, Calif.) each hit her second home run of the season in the nightcap.

In the circle, sophomore Meghan Wimmer (Boothwyn, Pa.) and junior Katie Orona (Pueblo, Colo.) each threw a complete game and permitted just one run apiece.

The Bears played their first games at their new field, and as part of the pre-game festivities, former Brown softball and women's soccer head coach Phil Pincince threw out the ceremonial first pitch for game one, and Brown University Assistant Vice President for Campus Life Marylou McMillan threw out the ceremonial first pitch for game two.

Next, Brown opens Ivy League play with doubleheaders at Princeton on Saturday beginning at 12:30 p.m. and at Cornell on Sunday beginning at 12:30 p.m.

Game 1: Brown 9, Hartford 1 (Six Innings)

Four different Bears tallied multi-hit games, and sophomore pitcher Meghan Wimmer (Boothwyn, Pa.) went the distance as Brown beat Hartford in six innings, 9-1, in its home opener of the 2017 season

The Bears plated five runs in the bottom of the first and closed the game with two runs in the last of the sixth.

Junior Grayson Metzger (Severna Park, Md.) went 2-for-4 with two doubles, two runs scored, and an RBI while senior Christina Andrews (Southlake, Texas) finished 2-for-4 with a triple and a run.

Sophomore Cat Seitz (Poway, Calif.) and freshman Kaitlin Okimoto (Burbank, Calif.) each went 2-for-3 with a run. Senior Julia Schoenewald (Jamison, Pa.) hit a triple and drove in three runs.

Sophomore pitcher Meghan Wimmer (Boothwyn, Pa.) threw 6.0 innings and gave up just one earned run on four hits with two strikeouts in the win (3-4) in her third complete game of the season.

Hartford's Isabella Gerone took the loss (0-8), tossing 3.2 innings and conceding seven runs, six earned, on nine hits and five walks with one strikeout. Danielle DeMarco led the Hawks at the plate with a 2-for-3 effort.

Andrews plated the first runs at the new field with a two-run triple to right field before Metzger brought home a run with a double to right field. Schoenewald followed with a two-run triple down the right field line as Brown went up 5-0 after the first inning.

After Hartford pulled within 5-1 in the top of the third, the Bears scored one run in each of the third and fourth innings to go ahead 7-1.

In the bottom of the sixth, Schoenewald forced home a run with a walk before Scarangella hit a walk-off RBI single to left field.

Game 2: Brown 5, Hartford 1

Junior Annie McGregor (Carlsbad, Calif.) and freshman Raquel Blanchard (Valencia, Calif.) hit back-to-back home runs in the second inning as Brown topped Hartford, 5-1, in game two to sweep the doubleheader.

The Bears trailed 1-0 after the top of the second but answered with two runs in the bottom half of the inning and scored a run in three of the next four frames to seal the win.

Freshman Kaitlin Okimoto (Burbank, Calif.) went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI, McGregor tallied a triple and three RBIs to go with her home run, Blanchard went 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI, and senior Lauren Hanna (Milford, Mass.) finished 2-for-2 with a run and an RBI.

Junior pitcher Katie Orona (Pueblo, Colo.) hurled her fourth complete game of the season, going 6.0 innings and allowing one earned run on six hits with six strikeouts in the win (4-5).

The Hawks' Melissa Pereira absorbed the loss (1-5), giving up five earned runs on nine hits with five strikeouts. Hartford's Kyle Dazalla posted two hits.

After the visitors went ahead 1-0 in the top of the second, McGregor led off the home half of the inning with a solo home run to center field, and Blanchard followed her with a solo homer down the left field line in the next at bat, pushing Brown ahead 2-1.

McGregor laced a triple to right center field in the bottom of the third to score a run and make it 3-1. In the bottom of the fourth, Okimoto hit an RBI single to right field, and Hanna capped the game's scoring with an RBI on an infield single in the last of the sixth.