Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2
SPRINGFIELD, Mass.--Sophomore
Samantha Mulhern hit a go-ahead double to win game one, 2-1, and freshmen pitchers
Leah Torre and
Heidi Grieger combined on a 4-hitter in a 7-1 second game victory, as the Western New England University softball squad swept a Commonwealth Coast Conference doubleheader from visiting Eastern Nazarene College at "Golden Bear Park" on Monday. Western New England has won four-straight to improve to 19-12 overall and 10-2 in the CCC, while the Lions drop to 6-23 and 3-11 in conference play.
Junior
Maria Francese went 2-for-3 with a stolen base and run scored.
Kori Sorensen and Olivia Tovar had two hits apiece for Eastern Nazarene, which took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning on a RBI-groundout by Britny Costa.
Western New England knotted the score in the third inning when Francese scored on a throwing error. Francese led off the frame with a single down the left field line.
Lauren Zambrano, the next batter, popped out to the catcher on a sacrifice bunt attempt, but Abigail Moore's throw to first base to double up Francese sailed into right field and Francese came all the way around to score.
In the sixth inning, Mulhern doubled home pinch-runner
Avery Clark for the eventual game-winning run.
Zambrano, a sophomore transfer, earned the win (13-4) after going the distance, scattering six hits. She allowed no walks and struck out six batters.
In the nightcap, junior
Katie Eckert led the Golden Bears offensively by going 2-for-3 with four runs batted in. Torre helped her own cause with a pair of hits, sophomore
Jocelyn Agnelli went 2-for-3 with two RBI and Francese added two more hits.
Sam Losano had two of the Lions' four hits, and she drove in their only run on a groundout to shortstop.
Torre gave up two hits in four innings with no walks and a strikeout to improve to 5-6 on the season. Grieger pitched the final three innings to earn her first collegiate save, allowing two hits and striking out two. The duo lost their combined shutout bid in the seventh inning on an unearned run.
Western New England outhit ENC 13 to 4 in the second contest, including doubles by Eckert and freshman
Alexis Bukowski and a triple off the bat of freshman pinch-hitter
McKenzie Pezze.
Agnelli singled home two runs off the second baseman's glove and into center field to stake WNE to a 2-0 lead in the second inning, and the Golden Bears never looked back.