CHICOPEE, Mass. - Johnson State softball were edged in a pair of non-conference road softball contests on Sunday by the scores of 7-6 and 5-4 at Elms College.  The Badgers now stand at 1-7 overall, 0-0 North Atlantic Conference (NAC) while Elms improves to 3-7 overall, 0-0 New England Collegiate Conference (NECC).

Game 1 - Elms 7, Johnson State 6

After falling behind 5-0 after the first inning Johnson State rallied to take 6-5 lead following a five-run third inning but host Elms College would answer with a run in bottom of the third to tie the game and win the contest in the bottom of the seventh after a double by catcher Sarah Buckley followed by an infield error by the Badgers.

Junior Meagan Russ (Burlington, Vt./Burlington) took the loss for the Badgers allowing five earned runs and striking out three while Courtney Hampton eared the win for Elms as she scattered six hits and three walks while striking out six Badgers.

JSC saw junior Tanya Randall (Fryeburg, Maine/Fryeburg) (pictured) go 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBI to key the offense while senior Morgan Rogerson (Hardwick, Vt./Hazen) went 1-for-3 and scored two runs.

Buckley was the offensive hero for the Blazers going 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI, and two runs scored while Jen Killion went 3-for-3 with a double.

A two-run double by Buckley helped spark the five-run first inning for the Blazers but Randall's RBI single and second inning and three-run homer in the third propelled the Badgers to a 6-5 lead. 

The Blazers would get an RBI single from Ally Witaszek in bottom of the third inning to tie the game at 6-6 and there the score would stay until the bottom of the seventh.

The Badgers a great chance in the sixth as Randall was cut down at the plate trying to score on ground ball to first base and with runners on second and third when the inning ended with a strikeout.  JSC also had a runner in scoring position to end the seventh inning.

A one-out double by Buckley set up the final play of the game when a groundball to second base was not fielded cleanly by JSC and Buckley raced home for the winning run.

Game 2 - Elms 5, Johnson State 4

In game two the Badgers trailed 3-2 entering the sixth inning, scored a pair in top of the sixth to take a 4-3 lead but Elms would plate two of their own in the bottom of the sixth and then complete the sweep when JSC lined into a double play to end the game in the top of the seventh for the 5-4 final.

Johnson's Kristy McDonnell (Quechee, Vt./Hartford) pitched five innings allowing seven hits and striking out three.  She was relieved by Russ entering the sixth inning who allowed two earned runs on three hits and a walk for the tough losing decision.

Elms' Elizabeth Patient pitched the complete game allowing three earned runs on nine hits while striking out three and recording the win.

Johnson received a pair of RBI and a run scored from sophomore Erica Pustari (North Haven, Conn./North Haven) who went 1-for-3 on the day while sophomore Emily Himberg (Williston, Vt./Champlain Valley) and freshman Amanda McLean (Woodhaven, N.Y./HS For Environmental Studies) both went 2-for-4.

The Blazers saw Kellie McLaughlin go 2-for-4 with a triple, an RBI, and a run scored while Leah Spring went 3-for-3 with a double, an RBI, and a run scored.

Elms scored a single run in the bottom of the first to a take the early lead but Johnson tied it 1-1 in the top of third when Himberg came through with an RBI single.

Elms would again take a one-run lead in the bottom of the fourth but a Pustari single would score Maria Gleason (Enosburg Falls, Vt./Enosburg) to again knot the score.

The Blazers would pick up a run and the lead for the third time in the bottom of the fifth.  Freshman Madeline Pritchard (North Clarendon, Vt./Mill River) would come through with a one-out pinch-hit double to start rally for Johnson that would see Amber McCullock (Morrisville, Vt./Peoples) plate a run on a fielder's choice and Pustari lift a sacrifice fly to score Russ and take the 4-3 lead.

Spring would lead off the bottom of the sixth with a double to left field and advance to third on a groundout.  Following a pop up for a second out McLaughlin would triple to plate Spring and tie the game.  The next Blazer was hit by the pitch to bring up Buckley who promptly doubled scoring McLaughlin and taking back the lead at 5-4.  Following a walk to load the bases Russ was able to induce a groundball to third to end the inning.

A one-out walk to Randall put the tying run on the top of the seventh for JSC but McLean hit a line drive back to the pitcher who quickly doubled off Randall at first to end the game.

Johnson moves on to play Thursday versus Wells College at the Adirondack Sports Complex in Queensbury, New York.  The doubleheader will start at noon.

Elms will now travel to Westfield State College for a doubleheader on Thursday starting at 4:00 pm.