Scots Wrap Up Spring Break Trip with .500 Record

Natalie Barone

Maria Gonzalez

The beginning of spring break was not as successful as The College of Wooster softball team would have liked, but nearing their return to Ohio, the Scots rebounded to win five of its last seven contests to close out the two-week trip with a .500 record (7-7) overall.

Through its first seven games, Wooster was batting a lowly .206 (37-for-180), and hadn't produced more than four runs in any game. Additionally, pitching was a problem as the Wooster staff of Natalie Barone and Angie Triplett combined for a 5.55 ERA, surrendering 29 earned runs in only 47.0 innings pitched.

After dropping its first two games to Webster University (8-2) and Drew University (4-2) on March 13, Wooster picked up its first win in Florida the next day behind a dominating performance by Barone in which she surrendered just two hits, while striking out seven, in a complete game 3-0 victory over Lasell College.

The Scots lost to Defiance College (8-2) later that day, and then split its games on March 16, losing to NCAA Div. II Univ. of North Dakota (8-4), but beating the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh 2-0 behind another shutout from Barone.

Richard Stockton College handed Wooster its worst defeat down south with a 10-2 setback on March 19, but the offense finally came alive for the Scots as Barone, inserted into the batting order for the first time, went 2-of-3 with two doubles, two RBI, and two runs scored in a 7-2 win over Finlandia University.

The Scots bounced back from a five-run deficit (6-1) in the next game against Bowdoin College on March 20, behind a two-run homerun by first basemen Maria Gonzalez, to force extra innings, but the Polar Bears picked up four runs in the eighth inning to take the game 10-6.

Undaunted, Wooster responded with four dominating victories behind Barone. She surrendered just two earned runs in the four games, while striking out 28 batters, including a career-high 13 against Bethel University.

With their ace on the mound, the Scot offense responded as Gonzalez, Kelly Robinson, and Barone each drove in two runs in a 9-1 victory over Kalamazoo on March 20. Gonzalez continued her hot streak into the next set of games two days later, going 4-of-6 with three runs scored and two RBI as Wooster picked up wins over Bethel (5-0) and Salve Regina University (7-4).

On the final day of the trip (March 23), Barone led the Scots to a 5-0 victory over the State University of New York at Fredonia by pitching seven scoreless innings in addition to finishing the day 2-of-3 from the plate with an RBI. But Babson College, sporting a 7-1 record, ended the Scots' run with a rain-shortened 4-0 setback.

After struggling through her first three starts, Barone finished the trip with a 2.62 ERA and a 7-4 record, in addition to striking out 63 in 75.2 innings. Offensively, she proved to be a sparkplug for the lineup as she batted .429 (9-of-21) over the last seven games with four doubles, one triple, and six RBI.

Gonzalez emerged as the squad's top hitter with a .410 batting average (16-of-39) to go along with a .667 slugging percentage. She accumulated three doubles, two triples, a homerun, and a team-best nine RBI.

Senior Kate Henley bounced back from a poor start to hit .368 (7-of-19) over her last six games. She scored eight runs from the leadoff spot and became the Scots' all-time leader in stolen bases (18) by swiping five.

Freshmen Molly Gaffney and Kate Kiley made their marks in their first spring break trip, as Gaffney led the team with nine stolen bases in as many attempts, while Kiley led the team with 10 runs scored.

The Scots continue their non-conference schedule next week with their first home contest. Wooster will play a doubleheader against Marietta College on Thursday, March 31, beginning at 3 p.m. at Galpin Park.