The Pilgrim softball team bounced back after dropping its season opener by getting back to back wins to climb above .500.

Prout handed the Pats a 5-4 loss in extra innings to start the season. In the two games since, the Pats have looked back to their old selves, beating Smithfield on the road 8-1 then cruising past East Providence in a 12-0 blowout.

Gretchen Dombeck has been stellar for Pilgrim in the circle and at the plate. She pitched seven innings in Smithfield, allowing no earned runs and striking out 11 batters while also knocking in two runs.

“I think it was super important (to bounce back after the opener). We have a really good team to work with and we root for each other, we always have each other’s back. It was great to just get back out here and throw,” Dombeck said after the win.

Skylar Hawes blasted a two-run homer against the Sentinels while Madison Tuirok led the team with three hits. Genna D’Amato and Audra McDonnell also recorded RBI in the victory.

Smithfield led 1-0 and the game was tied 1-1 heading into the fifth inning. The Pats scored seven runs between the fifth and sixth to break things open.

“We gained more energy throughout the game. We noticed that we had to and we brought it,” Tuirok said. “It proves to me that we have a team that bonds together.”

Dombeck was a force once again against the Townies, pitching five scoreless innings while recording another pair of RBI at the plate. Hawes went 3-for-4 with three RBI while McDonnell knocked in three runs on two hits. Marin Prest, D’Amato and Tuirok all batted in runs to help the Pats force the mercy rule. 

After graduating five seniors – including Gatorade Player of the Year Alyssa Twomey – the Pats will be looking for newcomers to step up to replace the production. With seven freshmen on the roster, including Hawes and Tuirok, Pilgrim coach Carlos Rodas expects them to compete every day and help the Pats return to the Division I championship mix for the next four seasons.

“We’re going to need them all to contribute. We lost five seniors from last year that were part of state championship runs. I told them that the expectation this year is just to bring it each game, but we really want to set the foundation for the next four years,” said Rodas.