The Pilgrim Patriots fell to the Woonsocket Villa Novans 10-8 Saturday afternoon at Rhode Island College. Abbie Roderick hit two home runs for Woonsocket.

Pilgrim head coach Bill Aquilante feels the loss came from a bad start.

“We dug ourselves a hole,” Aquilante said. “It’s tough to come back twice from two five-run deficits. We did a good job the first time, we cut it to one and then Roderick hurt us with two home runs. Once we fell behind again by five, it’s tough to come back against good hitting teams like Woonsocket.”

Lundyn Forcier pitched for Woonsocket while Brittany Girard caught. In the circle for Pilgrim was Morgan Almon, pitching to Olivia King. Forcier gave up 14 hits while Almon gave up 13. Both starters pitched the entire game.

Madison Balutowski led off with a base hit for Pilgrim. With one out, Olivia King hit into a fielder’s choice and Balutowski was thrown out at second. Next, Katrina Kazen hit an RBI-double to score King from first, giving Pilgrim an early 1-0 edge.

In the bottom of the first, Roderick led off with a walk. Holly Letourneau hit an RBI-double next to score Roderick to tie the game at 1. Then, Girard got on first via a line drive that was bobbled by Pilgrim shortstop Jeriann Evans. Next, Forcier hit a single just out of the infield to load the bases for Woonsocket.  Almon would walk in a run when she walked Madison Hereth, giving Woonsocket a 2-1 lead. Katyanna Colburn stepped into the batter’s box with the bases reloaded and she also earned a walk, scoring another run, giving Woonsocket a 3-1 lead. With no outs, Almon got Joevonna Barnwell to line out to the circle before the pitcher threw out Colburn at first for the double play. Then, Almon was able to strike out Madison Mitchell-Laplante to end the first.

Pilgrim’s Victoria Blanchard hit a bomb to left center with two down in the top of the second. However, Forcier was able to get Emma Hlavacek to pop out to the third baseman to strand Blanchard.

Woonsocket junior Christina Lussier led off with a hit in the bottom of the second. Next, Roderick blasted a 2-run shot over the wall in left center to give Woonsocket a 5-1 advantage. Next, Letourneau hit a single. With two outs, Hereth launched an RBI-double, scoring Letourneau and increasing the Woonsocket lead to 6-1. Almon was finally able to escape the inning when she struck out Colburn.

In the top of the third, Balutowski led off with a single. Next, Evans hit what should have been a routine fly out, but the right fielder dropped the ball, and Evans stood at second. Then, King hit a triple over the head of the right fielder to score both runners and pull Pilgrim within 6-3. Next, Katrina Kazen hit into a fielder’s choice and King was gunned down at home, preventing another Pilgrim run. First baseman Rachel Serra batted next and flew out to the shortstop Letourneau, who made an amazing play, robbing a hit. Next, Forcier got Almon to ground out to retire the side.

Almon made quick work of the Woonsocket lineup in the bottom of the third, getting both Barnwell and Lussier to ground out, and then getting Laplante to fly out.

Forcier struck out Karly Evans to begin the fourth inning. Next, Blanchard hit a missile past the shortstop for a single. Forcier struck out Hlavacek and then got Balutowski to fly out to center to strand the runner.

Woonsocket’s Roderick led off the bottom of the fourth with a base hit. After Letourneau flew out to center, Girard hit a shallow fly ball over the second baseman Blanchard’s head that dropped for a hit. With one out, Almon buckled down and got Forcier to fly out to deep center and Hereth to pop out.

In the top of the fifth, Pilgrim’s Jeriann Evans led off with a double to left. Then, King followed it with a double of her own, scoring Evans and cutting the lead to 6-4. Kazen continued the hot hitting, getting on with a single to shallow right. With runners at the corners, Serra hit into a fielder’s choice force out at second, but King scored from third, pulling Pilgrim to 6-5.

In the bottom of the fifth, Almon walked Colburn to start. Then, Barnwell hit an RBI-double to score Colburn and put Woonsocket up 7-5. Laplante laid down a sacrifice bunt, moving the runner to third. After a hit from Lussier, Roderick crushed a ball off the scoreboard in right field for her second home run of the game, putting Woonsocket up 10-5.

Other than a hit by Hlavacek, Forcier retired Pilgrim quickly in the top of the sixth, forcing two ground balls and an out on a bunt.

In the bottom of the sixth, Forcier popped out to Serra, who made a diving catch on a foul ball. Next, Hereth hit a double. But, Almon would escape without any damage when she grabbed a comebacker and followed it with a strikeout on Barnwell to end the sixth.

In the top of the seventh, Pilgrim would make a run. King led off with a single to right. Next, Kazen lifted a line drive through second and third. Then, Serra got a hit to load the bases. That’s when Almon blasted a double over the head of the center fielder Laplante, clearing the bases and pulling Pilgrim to 10-8.

With Almon standing at second, Forcier was able to get Karly Evans to fly out. Next, Forcier induced Blanchard into popping out to second. Forcier put the nail in the coffin when she got Hlavacek to ground out to the shortstop to end the game.