Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 SPRINGFIELD, Mass.--Western New England and Westfield State traded one-run non-conference victories at the Owl Softball Field on Thursday, as the visiting Golden Bears suffered a heartbreaking 5-4 loss in walk-off fashion in the first game but then came back to clip the Owls, 2-1, in the nightcap. Westfield improves to 7-4, equaling its victory total from last season, while Western New England is 5-9.

Western New England outhit Westfield in both contests, 9-7 in the opener and 6-3 in the second. Senior tri-captain Maria Francese and sophomore Alexis Bukowski led the Golden Bears with three hits apiece on the afternoon.

In the 2-1 triumph, Western New England went up 1-0 in the top of the first inning on a RBI-single from senior tri-captain Katie Eckert and added an insurance run in the fifth when Francese singled home freshman Katie Wood.

Westfield cut got a run back in its home half of the fifth. Leadoff hitter Elizabeth Kelly doubled down the left field line and came around to score on a single up the middle by Jamie Ricciardi.

Freshman Samantha DiGiovanni pitched five innings to get her first career collegiate win, allowing an earned run and three hits. Sophomore Heidi Grieger threw two scoreless frames in which she surrendered no hits and walked one with two strikeouts to chalk up her first save this season.

Westfield's Emily Mailloux went the distance to be charged with the loss, scattering six hits and getting two strikeouts.

In Game 1, Faith Rheault drew a bases loaded walk to force home Breanne Bisceglia with the winning run, unearned, as the Owls came from behind to capture a see-saw win in the bottom of the seventh. Westfield loaded the bases with no outs on a walk, infield throwing error and single by Amanda Flower. Molly Dunbar drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to make the score 4-3 WNE. Kelly walked to load the bases again, then Kelsey Carpenter flied out to right field for the second out. Pinch hitter Julia Sullivan tied the score when she blooped a two-strike RBI single down the line in short left field.

Western New England took its second lead of the contest with three runs on three hits and an error in the top of the seventh, going up 4-2. The Golden Bears' first two runs crossed the plate on a wild pitch and a passed ball. Following a walk and Bukowski's double, freshman Gabby Lavinio delivered an RBI single.

Westfield took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning when Kelly, a freshman, slugged a solo home run over the left field fence. In the third, Kelly tied it 1-1 for the Owls on an RBI single through the left side.

The Golden Bears struck first in the opening frame thanks to some smart base running. Junior Jocelyn Agnelli led off with a single to left and Francese followed with a single up the middle. Junior Lauren Zambrano fouled out on a terrific diving catch by the catcher, but both runners advanced a base because they realized that Flower was out of position. Bukowski then delivered a sacrifice fly to bring home Agnelli.

Western New England returns to Commonwealth Coast Conference play on Saturday when the Golden Bears host Endicott in a doubleheader at Golden Bear Softball Park, beginning at noon.