Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 CLERMONT, Fla.--The Western New England University softball squad got timely hitting and solid pitching on Wednesday evening as the Golden Bears came back to knock off Babson, 2-1, before trouncing New England College, 9-2, at the National Training Center, Field 4. The Golden Bears have won two games in a row to reach the .500-mark for the first time this season at 4-4.

In the first game against the Beavers, freshman Alexis Bukowski delivered a two-run single to center field to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning for Western New England.

Babson (4-3) had taken a 1-0 advantage in the opening stanza on a RBI-single by Caitie Benoit to left-center with two outs.

It was a pitching duel between Babson's Megan Brain and WNE's Lauren Zambrano for much of the contest. Brain had a no-hitter until the fifth when senior co-captain Jeana Longo broke it up with a single up the middle to start the rally. Zambrano, meanwhile, scattered six hits and an earned run in five innings of work to earn the victory.

The Beavers had a golden opportunity to add to their lead in the third when they loaded the bases with no outs--but failed to score. Catie Funk and Emily Morris sandwiched singles around a walk by Caitie Benoit, but then Zambrano and Co. escaped the jam by getting Ashleigh Phelps to flyout into a double play with Funk thrown out at home by right fielder Hannah Hill and then Kelly King popped out to shortstop.

Babson outhit Western New England 7 to 3, but the Beavers left nine runners on base.

Freshman Leah Torre closed the final two innings of scoreless, one-hit ball to pick up the save.

The Golden Bears scored seven times in the top of the sixth inning to snap a 2-2 deadlock against the Pilgrims (0-5). Freshman Heather Fecteau capped the offensive explosion with a two-run double down the third-base line. Fecteau finished with two hits.

Sophomore Samantha Mulhern also had two hits and a run batted in for Western New England, which was outhit 9 to 6.

Leadoff batter Kiley Williams sparked the NEC offense by going 4-for-4 with a RBI and a stolen base.

Sophomore Grace Kucharski gave Western New England a 2-0 lead in the third when she tripled home Mulhern and Kucharski later scored on a fielding error by the third baseman.

But the Pilgrims battled back with single runs in the home third and fourth innings to knot the game at 2-all. Rebecca Allen had a RBI-single through the left side and Williams accounted for the other run on a single to left field.

Pitching was key once again for the Golden Bears as Zambrano worked the final three scoreless frames to earn the victory. She struck out four batters while allowing three hits and walked just one.