O’Hara Notches 100th Strike Out As Nighthawks Sweep Mountaineers on Senior Day

The Newbury College softball team closed out the 2010 home season with a double-header sweep of Southern Vermont College , Saturday afternoon, 6-1 and 4-3. Before the day began the Nighthawks honored seniors Katelyn Mark (Quincy, MA/North Quincy) and Jessica Jordan (Stoneham, MA/Stoneham) for their four years of dedication to the softball program. 

Freshman Katie O’Hara (Abingdon, MD/John Carroll) opened up the day by striking out the side in the top of the first. In the bottom half of the frame her battery jump started the Nighthawk offense with a one-out infield single. Two batters later first baseman Catherine O’Connell (Quincy, MA/North Quincy) kept the inning alive, reaching on a fielder’s choice, plating Brittany Stracher (Dudley, MA/Shepherd Hill Regional) for the first run of the game.

Newbury added to their one-run lead in the third as Stracher led off the inning, reaching on a two-base error by the shortstop and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt back to the pitcher for the first out. She came in to score the second run of the game on a base-hit back up the middle by O’Connell.

It was all O’Hara would need as she dominated Southern Vermont for seven innings allowing just one run while scattering five hits and fanning 12 Mountaineers for the complete game win for her seventh victory of the season. Entering the day the Maryland native needed just 15 strikeouts to hit the century mark on the season and toed the rubber in game two just three shy of 100. 

Once again the Nighthawks gave O’Hara the early lead as Mark led off the bottom half of the first with a base hit into centerfield. She went from first to third on an infield single by Stracher and came across to score the first run of the game on a fielding error by the second baseman.

They added to their lead an inning later. Second baseman Teressa Farioli (East Longmeadow, MA/East Longmeadow) lined a single into right field with two outs to keep the inning alive. Jordan followed with a base hit of her own, moving Farioli to third and bringing the order back around to the top. Mountaineer starter Gabrielle Remillard (Fairfax, VT/Rice Memorial) walked both Mark and Stracher, back-to-back, to force home Farioli with the second run of the game.

In the top of the third, O’Hara recorded her 100^th strikeout of the season, striking out catcher Alyssa Davis (Lyndonville, VT/Lyndon Institute) for the third out of the inning. She finished the game allowing two runs – one earned – on four hits in five innings of work and recording five strikeouts to put her at 102 on the year. Freshman Sarah Young (Waterloo, NY/Waterloo) pitched two innings of solid relief allowing just one run on two hits while striking out three en route to her first save of the season. 

The Nighthawks are currently 12-21 and 5-10 in the conference with 1 game remaining at Lesley tomorrow afternoon, start time is set for 12pm. Southern Vermont finished the season at 3-25 and 1-13 in the NECC.