Elms College Sweeps Newbury in Doubleheader

CHICOPEE, MA, April 10, 2009 - Sophomore designated player Destiny
Meeker (Bantam, CT) went 3 for 3 with eight RBI in game one, including
her first collegiate-career grand slam, then teamed with freshman
pitcher Courtney Hampton (Westfield, MA) to throw a no-hitter in game
two, as the Blazers helped head coach Cheryl Condon to a milestone with
15-1 and 12-0 five-inning, mercy-rule victories over Newbury College in
Friday's New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) softball doubleheader
at Condon Field.

Elms College (9-9 overall, 7-1 NECC) swept its third conference
doubleheader in six days to extend its win streak to six straight and
remain in third place in the current conference standings.

Newbury remained winless at 0-22, 0-8 NECC.

The win in game one also marked the 300th collegiate career victory for
Condon, who has been head coach at Elms College for 23 of the program's
24 seasons and has collected all 301 of her victories with the Blazers.

Condon, already the winningest coach in Elms College athletic department
history, became the first coach in any sport in school-history to win
300 games.

In game one, Meeker belted a two-run double to cap off a three-run,
second inning that gave the Blazers a 3-0 lead.

Newbury freshman catcher Ariel Ross (Gales Ferry, CT) delivered a RBI
groundout in the fourth to pull the Nighthawks to within 3-1.

From there, however, Meeker stole the show, as she cranked a two-run
single to center field then crushed her first career grand slam later in
the frame to highlight a 12-run inning in which the Blazers sent 15
batters to the plate.

Meeker finished 3 for 3 with a career-high eight RBI, freshman third
baseman Kelly Callahan (Monson, MA) went 2 for 3 and junior second
baseman Ally Graffum (Ipswich, MA) finished 2 for 4.

Sophomore pitcher Ani Ramsdell (Gardner, MA) has a no-hit bid broken up
when Newbury freshman third baseman Teressa Farioli (East Longmeadow,
MA) poked a one-out bloop single down the right field line.

Ramsdell finished with eight strikeouts and issued just three walks to
improve her record to 4-5.

In the nightcap, the Blazers plated six runs in the first, then put the
game out of reach with a four-run, second that included RBI singles by
Graffum, senior shortstop Kerrie Bowden (Chicopee, MA), Callahan and
freshman left fielder Kaylyn Conroy (Pittsfield, MA).

That was more than enough offensive for Meeker and Hampton, who combined
to strikeout nine of the 15 batters they faced en route to the
no-hitter.

- Game story submitted by Justin Mokerzecki - SID, Elms College