The women’s softball team rode the wave of momentum they gained in sweeping Hamilton College this past weekend to shut down the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London on Wednesday, earning an 8-4 victory over the Bears.

Laura Getchell ’14 kept the Bears at bay, striking out seven batters and allowing just six hits and four runs throughout the contest.

The game opened uneventfully, as neither team scored a run in the first inning. Wesleyan was able to capitalize on the Coast Guard’s two errors in the second inning, which allowed the Cardinals to take a 1-0 lead. The Bears came back to tie up the action at 1-1, but three more errors allowed Wesleyan to score two more unearned runs. The Cardinals then led 3-1, a lead they would not give up.

In the fifth inning, Wesleyan blew open the game, producing five hits and five runs. Allee Beatty ’13, Jill Gately ’15, Chrissy Bello ’12, Alexis Kral ’12, and Dana Levy ’12 all reached base on singles. Bello and Kral both tallied two RBIs, while Levy added one.

The game was not over yet, however, as the Coast Guard Academy tried to stage a comeback, adding three hits and three runs to make the score 8-4. However, that was the end of the scoring, as the sixth and seventh innings produced zero hits and zero runs for either team.

The difference in the game was truly the errors. Wesleyan was perfect, not making a single mistake, while the Coast Guard Academy fumbled seven times, allowing multiple unearned runs early in the game.

The Cardinals will use this non-conference win as experience to prepare for their big NESCAC West series versus Williams College this weekend. On Friday, the Lady Cards face the Ephs at home at 4:00 pm, and on Saturday, the team travels to Williams for doubleheader action that will be webcast live.