Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 WENHAM, Mass.--The Western New England University softball team pounded out 24 hits and held the opposition off the scoreboard on Friday to remain alive in the double-elimination Commonwealth Coast Conference Championship Tournament held at Gordon College, defeating No. 6 Roger Williams University 8-0 in five innings and then third-seeded Curry College 6-0.

The fifth-seeded Golden Bears, who are 4-1 in the tournament to improve to 22-17 on the season, will play No. 2 Salve Regina in a loser-out game Saturday at Endicott College in Beverly; first pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. The winner will play for the CCC championship against the top-seeded Gulls later in the day, beginning at 1 p.m. The "if-necessary" contest is at 3 p.m.

Freshman Gabby Lavinio led the WNE offense on the afternoon by going 4-for-8, including two doubles and a home run, with three runs scored and three runs batted in. Senior tri-captain Maria Francese had a 5-for-8 day, including four hits against the Hawks, and two RBI.

Sophomore Heidi Grieger (10-7) got the complete-game, eight-run win against RWU, allowing just four singles and two walks along with a strikeout. Junior Lauren Zambrano (7-7) also went the distance versus the Colonels, and shut them down on three singles. She had seven strikeouts and three walks in her first start in the circle since April 17.

Against RWU, the Golden Bears outhit the Hawks by a 13-4 margin and were led by Francese with four singles, junior Samantha Mulhern, sophomore Heather Fecteau and Lavinio with two apiece. Mulhern crossed the plate three times and Lavinio scored twice.

Lavinio led off the bottom of the first inning with a home run over the left-center field wall and WNE never looked back. Lavinio leads the team and is tied for second in the conference with six home runs.

Taylor Messier, Samantha Mittel, Julianne Vesce and Meredith Moise all had four hits for the Hawks, who fall to 20-17.

The Golden Bears blew the game open with four runs in the fifth frame. Junior Emily Mastropaolo had a RBI-single down the right field line to cap the scoring.

Versus the Colonels, the Golden Bears again enjoyed double-digits in hits with 11 while holding them to three. Senior tri-captain Katie Eckert, sophomore Alexis Bukowski, freshman Corianna DeLisi and Lavinio had two each.

Heather Carrier led Curry with two hits and Paige Smigiel contributed one.

Western New England again took a 1-0 lead in the opening frame, taking advantage of a CC miscue. Lavinio led off the game with a double to right field and then scored on a throwing error when Francese attempted to sacrifice her over to third but reached first base instead.

The Golden Bears doubled their 3-0 advantage with three runs in the seventh on RBI-singles by Bukowski and Mulhern and an error.

Zambrano proved to be difficult to hit as she began the game by retiring the first seven batters she faced, including five via strikes.

Western New England was able to beat the CCC wins leader (16) Taylor Ahearn, who lost for only the seventh time in 23 decisions.