QUINCY, Mass. - Junior Laura Bower (Hudson, MA) again was outstanding on the mound and Western New England College compiled 20 hits in posting a 14-0, 8-7 softball doubleheader sweep over host Eastern Nazarene Saturday afternoon (Apr. 26) at Mitchell/McCoy Field.
These were the final games of the regular season for the Golden Bears who finished with an overall 26-12 record, including an 18-6 mark in its inuaugural season in The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC). WNEC tied for second in the league with Nichols, but earned the third seed heading into its conference tournament contest on Tuesday (Apr. 29).
Bower, a right-hander, fired a three-hit, six-inning shutout in the opener striking out 14 and walking only one. She took the win in relief in the second game after fanning all seven batters in her 2 1/3 innings. Bower now has a 17-6 record this spring.
Freshman first base player Trish Breault (Millville, MA) continued her strong hitting by going 3-for-4 with three RBI and a run. Senior Jenna Curren (Berlin, CT) replaced Breault at first and added a three-run double when the Golden Bears scored eight runs in the sixth.
WNEC started strong in the second game taking a 6-0 lead in the first highlighted by a grand slam homer by sophomore second base player/shortstop Kate Post (Bridgewater, MA).
The Crusaders rallied taking a 7-6 lead before the Golden Bears came back to score the two deciding runs in the sixth on a fielders' choice RBI by Breault and sacrifice fly by senior third base player Meredith Pacelli (Hamden, CT).
Western New England College finished with 11 hits as sophomore left-fielder Lauren Arsenault (Fitchburg, MA) had two singles and two runs while sophomore right-fielder Christina Farese (Marlborough, MA) also collected two hits while scoring once. Junior shortstop/pitcher Brittany DeGennaro (Orange, CT) contributed a two-run double.
Junior third base player Rebekah Sorensen (Quincy, MA) had a single, double, and three RBI for the hosts. Freshman shortstop Bethany Greenfield (Parsippany, NJ) added twop runs with a run and RBI. Freshman designated player Laura Gilberson (Hingham, MA) chipped-in with a two-run single. Greenfield also had a triple in the first contest.
Eastern Nazarene ends its campaign with an 8-28 record, including an 8-16 mark in the conference.
