Wildcats Drop Extra-Inning Game 9-8

 New England College rallies late to edge Bay Path, 9–8, in back-and-forth thriller

HENNIKER, N.H. — New England College scored five runs across the final two innings to slip past Bay Path, 9–8, Tuesday afternoon at Old Concord Road, spoiling a three-homer, five-RBI day from Bay Path's Madison Sunderland.

Bay Path jumped in front immediately in the top of the first when Sunderland launched a two-run home run to center, scoring Madison Tessmer for a 2–0 lead. New England answered right away in the bottom half: Grace Giesler tripled in Kate Gagne, then Giesler came home on Emma Lopez's pop-up to right that produced an RBI on the throw, tying the game 2–2 after one.

The game settled into a pitching duel through the middle innings as Bay Path starter Kaitlyn Kerstetter kept the hosts in check. Bay Path broke the tie in the fifth on Caroline Austin's RBI double to right that scored Ariana Rivard, making it 3–2.

Bay Path extended the margin in the sixth and seventh behind Sunderland's power. Sunderland homered again in the sixth (solo) and then struck for her third homer of the day in the seventh, a two-run shot to right-center that plated Allison Dattilo and pushed Bay Path ahead 7–4. In between, Rivard delivered an RBI single in the sixth, though Bay Path also had a runner cut down at the plate on the play.

New England's comeback began in the sixth with back-to-back RBI doubles from Amanda Magro and Ashleigh Lemay, trimming the deficit to 5–4. The decisive surge came in the seventh and eighth after Bay Path went to Sunderland in relief. In the seventh, Giesler's RBI single scored Gagne, and Sydney MacLean followed with a two-run double to left to tie the game 7–7.

Bay Path reclaimed the lead in the top of the eighth when Jackie Phillips singled to center to bring home Tristan Perez for an 8–7 advantage. But New England responded again in the bottom half, scoring twice to walk it off: Gagne's infield RBI single tied the game (with the run ruled unearned), and Lopez's RBI single to left scored Giesler for the 9–8 final (also unearned).

Magro earned the win in relief for New England, throwing the final two innings. Sunderland took the loss after allowing seven runs (five earned) over 2.1 innings out of the bullpen.

 By the numbers
-  Bay Path (8 runs, 11 hits, 1 error) 
- Madison Sunderland:  3-for-4, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 3 R 
- Jackie Phillips:  2-for-4, RBI, R 
- Ariana Rivard: 2-for-4, RBI, R 
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New England improved to  12–15 (8–6), while Bay Path moved to 12–13 (0–0). Attendance was 35 and the game lasted 2:05.