By Tim DunnCorrespondent

FALL RIVER — In an interleague softball matchup, a strong pitching performance paired with an explosive day at the plate gave Case the edge in a 7-3 road win over Durfee on Friday.

Starting pitcher Aubrey Carpenter (10 strikeouts, 4 walks, 5 hits) dominated from the circle. Carpenter also had tremendous run support from a hot Cardinal lineup that produced three home runs, accounting for five runs.

“This has probably been her best game of the season. She went the distance and finishing the game for us,” said Case coach Michaela Goncalves. “Our pitching staff consists of two sophomores, so anytime those girls can get into positions where they're building their confidence, it’s a good thing. I think this was one of those games for her (Carpenter) and I’m really impressed with how she did.”

The sophomore almost came unglued in the final inning when she loaded the bases on two hits and a walk, and a Durfee runner scored on a pass ball. Following the brief miscue, Carpenter crushed any hope of a Hilltopper comeback with back-to-back strikeouts to end the game.

“She was struggling a little bit towards the end and I left her in to see how she’d battle and she came back with two big strikeouts to end the game. That was big for her confidence in the circle,” Goncalves said. “Scoring those insurance runs in the seventh definitely helped take some pressure off of Carpenter.”

The game actually started off with a bit of a unique pitcher’s duel between Carpenter and Durfee starting pitcher Jackie Dumont (6 strikeouts, 2 walks, 9 hits, 3 home runs0. While Carpenter was impressive from the circle, Dumont proved to be the only Hilltopper able to challenge her at the plate as she accounted for all of Durfee's runs.

Facing a 2-0 run deficit, Dumont led off the last of the second inning with an inside-the-park home run. She struck again in the fourth inning with another shot, this time for an RBI triple to bring it to a 2-2 tie. Dumont (3-for-3) scored Durfee’s third and final run in the seventh inning. 

Case (7-2) was led at the plate by catcher and cleanup hitter Madyson Medeiros. In the first inning, Medeiros (2-for-3, 4 RBI, Walk, HR) opened up scoring for the game with an inside-the-park home run that would’ve been gone if the field had a fence. Medeiros struck again in the seventh with another three-run blast to deep left that allowed her to cross the plate standing.

Designated hitter Casey Medeiros also raced around the diamond in the fifth inning for a home run of her own.

“Obviously it’s nice to not have a fence here; sometimes, it also goes against you. We only had two hits against Durfee last time so to be able to put some bats on the ball today was great,” said Goncalves. “We’re a team and it’s good to see some depth in our lineup and it’s not just the top of the order producing, it’s everybody.”

Durfee (2-6) travels to Brockton on Wednesday for a Big 3 matchup. Case prepares to hit the road again on Monday when they take on Somerset Berkley.