College softball: Bates falls to Williams in NESCAC semifinals

MEDFORD, Mass. — Bates College’s run in the NESCAC softball tournament came to an end Saturday with a 2-1 loss in the semifinals to third-seeded Williams at Tufts University’s Spicer Field.

The seventh-seeded Bobcats claimed the program’s first NESCAC tournament win Friday when they defeated No. 2 Amherst 1-0. They challenged perennial conference title contender Williams, as well, but struggled to generate much offense against Ephs freshman pitcher Sadie Leonard.

Bates wasn’t the only team stymied by Leonard on Saturday. Williams opened the day with a 1-0 win over Trinity, during which Leonard stuck out 16 batters and allowed four hits.

Against the Bobcats, Leonard struck out 12 — giving her 28 for the day — and allowed only five hits.

Bates scored its only run of the game in the bottom of the first when Sarah Cooke walked with the bases loaded to bring home Ella Maher and tie the game at 1-1.

Williams went up 1-0 in the top of the first when Kelly McGuigan scored on a double by Sydney Fleming. The Ephs took the lead on a solo home run by Adhya Tandon in the second. Bates pitchers Madison Hollis (five hits, two runs, one strikeout in five innings) and Delany Rankin (two hits, no runs, two strikeouts in two innings) held the Ephs scoreless for the remainder of the game.

Bates finishes the season, the first with former St. Dominic Academy standout Kat McKay as coach, with a 16-17-1 record.

Williams, which has won six NESCAC titles, advances to face Tufts, which has won the tournament 12 times.