SPRINGFIELD, Mass. â€" Senior Jason Connelly (Scituate, MA) pitched and batted Western New England College to an 8-6, 3-1 sweep over visiting Rivier College in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) doubleheader.
Connelly tossed a complete game eight-hitter in the second game striking out four and walking two to improve his record to 5-1 this spring. It also was his school record 27th career victory. Connelly got the final out on a fly ball after the Raiders had the tying runs on base in the top of the seventh.
Connelly played second base in the opener and had two hits, a run and two RBI, including a key run-scoring triple in a three-run sixth as the Golden Bears broke a 5-5 tie.
Senior right-fielder Bobby Zoller (Bridgewater, NJ) scored two runs and had the game-winning RBI single in the opener. He also went 3-for-3 with runs and a double in the nightcap.
Junior first baseman Tom Horgan (Westfield, MA) had a single and triple in the first game along with a single and double in the second.
Junior third baseman Josh Jacobs (Essex Junction, VT) belted a solo homer (his fifth of the season) in the first game.
Western New England College improves its record to 23-7 overall and 10-2 in the conference. The Golden Bears have won 11 of their last 13 contests.
Rivier falls to 9-12 and 7-5 in the conference.
