Wheelock sweeps Becker in first NECC contest

Leicester, Mass. - The Wheelock College Wildcats notched their first victories in the newly formed New England Collegiate Conference Saturday, defeating Becker College in both ends of a double-header, 1-2 and 9-7.

Junior captain Elise Ordile (Waltham, MA) slapped a two run double in the bottom of the sixth inning to plate the Wildcats first runs of the day and give her team a 2-1 advantage heading into the top of the seventh. The one run lead was enough for Senior pitcher Stacy Seidner (Pembroke, NH), who allowed four hits and one unearned run in notching her first win of the season. Seidner benefitted from solid defense all around, included a the game-ending catch from Freshman Allie Chiesa (Medford, MA), who flipped over the fence and held onto the fly ball to seal the win.  

In the second game, Wheelock received multi-hit performances from Amanda Siebert (Salem, CT), Nicole Zina (Bristol, RI), and Nicole Perullo (Revere, MA) to notch the 9-7 win in what proved to be an offensive battle. 

Wheelock jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Zina, Perullo, and Ordile strung together three consecutive hits. But Becker responded in the top of the second with three runs on four hits and an error. The Wildcats took the lead for good in the bottom of the second. Chiesa started the inning with a triple to right, and scored on a fielder's choice by Siebert. Consecutive doubles from Zina and Perullo gave Wheelock a 4-3 advantage, before Ordile singled in her third RBI on the day.

The Wildcats were able to hold off a four run sixth inning to seal the win. Wheelock will next host Bay Path College on Saturday in conference play. The first game begins at 3:30, with the second to follow immediately.