Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 CLERMONT, Fla.--The Western New England University softball team on Thursday wrapped up the 2015 National Training Center (NTC) Spring Games with a split doubleheader sweep in a pair of one-run affairs over regional opponents Keene State College, 2-1, and Amherst College, 4-3. The Golden Bears have won four games in a row--three by a single run--to improve to 6-4 on the season.

Western New England opened today by overcoming an early 1-0 deficit against the Owls. In the bottom of the fourth inning, senior Samantha Mulhern opened with a single. After two strikeouts, junior Alexis Bukowski delivered a clutch double to the right-center field gap to plate Mulhern and tie it 1-1. The Golden Bears then took advantage of a dropped flyball and Bukowski scored on the error for what proved to be the game-winning tally.

Morgan Fallon gave Keene a 1-0 advantage with a home run to center field in the second.

Senior tri-captain Lauren Zambrano (2-1) got the win, allowing four hits and two walks to go along with eight strikeouts. Despite 13 strikeouts, Mariah Crisp took the loss after giving up only three hits and two runs (one earned) against no walks.

In today's nightcap, WNE pushed across three runs in the bottom of the second inning to break a 1-1 deadlock en route to upending Amherst (6-2 overall). Mulhern had a RBI-single and sophomore Corianna DeLisi the big hit with a two-run single as the Golden Bears capitalized on a costly Lord Jeffs error that would have ended the frame.

Senior tri-captain Hannah Hill and DeLisi led WNE with two hits each. DeLisi had a double.

Ally Kido, who went 2-for-3, pulled Amherst within 4-3 after a sacrifice fly in the fifth and a RBI-double in the seventh, but junior Heidi Grieger escaped a jam with runners on first and second base by getting Annie Apffel to flyout to right to end the game. Grieger (4-3) got the win after scattering eight hits and working around five walks.

The teams traded runs in the opening stanza. Amherst's Brianna Cook had a RBI-double to left field while Bukowski countered for WNE with a RBI-single.

Kelsey Ayers matched Kido with two hits for the Lord Jeffs, who left eight runners on base. Jackie Buechler (2-1) pitched well enough to win with eight strikeouts and seven hits given up, but the error in the second frame led to three unearned runs for the Golden Bears.

On Wednesday, the Golden Bears began their win streak with a 9-1 drubbing of MCLA and 1-0 victory over Plattsburgh State. MCLA  || Plattsburgh

Western New England cranked out 10 hits in the eight-run triumph over the Blazers. Junior Heather Fecteau and sophomore Gabby Lavinio staked WNE to a 4-0 lead after the third inning with a RBI-single and three-run double, respectively, and the Golden Bears never looked back. Senior Grace Kucharski and sophomore Katie Wood had two hits apiece.

Zambrano tossed a one-hitter to earn the complete-game victory, allowing just one unearned run and three walks. She had seven strikeouts.

MCLA averted the shutout in the bottom of the fourth inning when the Blazers scored a run on a squeeze play.

The Golden Bears scored the only run of the game against the Cardinals in the bottom of the sixth when junior McKenzie Pezze drew a bases loaded walk to force home Bukowski.

Grieger prevailed in the pitchers' duel by allowing just three singles and a walk. She had two strikeouts while retiring the first nine batters she faced.

The Cardinals had an opportunity to strike first in the top of the fourth with a runner at second base and no outs, but Grieger was able to induce two pop-ups and a ground out to end the threat. Plattsburgh had an even better chance to score in the sixth when it had runners at first and third with one out, but the Golden Bears escaped by catching a line drive double play to second baseman Mulhern.

Western New England will have its first post-spring break date in Massachusetts on Wednesday (3:30 p.m.) against Smith College in a non-conference twinbill in Northampton.

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