Box Score SPRINGFIELD, Mass.--At 2:18 p.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time on Saturday, the Western New England University softball team made history by becoming the first women's athletics program for the Golden Bears to capture a Commonwealth Coast Conference championship. (Women's Lacrosse followed with a CCC tournament title of their own at 2:55 this afternoon).

Top-seeded Western New England (29-7 overall) did all of its scoring on home runs and senior CCC Pitcher of the Year Lauren Zambrano tossed a five-hitter as the Golden Bears toppled defending conference champion and No. 3 Endicott College, 4-1, on Saturday at Golden Bear Park, earning the CCC's automatic bid to the 2015 NCAA Division III Softball Championship that gets under way May 7-10 at regional sites. This is WNE's first trip to the NCAAs since 2006 and sixth in school history (2002-06, 2015).

"Women's Athletics at Western New England have waited a long time for a CCC championship and to get two (lacrosse) on the same day, it is a great accomplishment" for us as an institution, Golden Bears coach Lori Mayhew said. "It's an amazing feeling to win our first CCC title. I am extremely proud and excited for this year's team. They have worked hard since day one back in the fall. Of course, it helps that this team is very close, team chemistry is outstanding, and they make each other better.

"I am so happy for the senior class, as the seven of them have led this team on and off the field all year," she said.

Zambrano moved to 17-1 on the season after throwing a complete game, allowing five hits and four walks while striking out nine Gulls. Her counterpart, Courtney Blake (16-5), gave up three hits, two walks and four runs in going the distance for Endicott.

Western New England, which went a perfect 3-0 in the CCC Tournament to extend its season-best winning streak to 10 games, struck first in the bottom of the first inning when sophomore Corianna DeLisi belted the second pitch she saw over the fence in left-center field. It was fourth home run of the season.

Endicott tied it in the top of the fourth as Margaret Martzolf homered over the left field wall. The Golden Bears, however, immediately reclaimed the lead for good in their half of the frame. With one out, junior Alexis Bukowski walked and then senior Grace Kucharski followed with an infield single to shortstop. After a groundout, sophomore Gabby Lavinio lined a three-run blast down the left field line to make it a 4-1 cushion.

The Gulls threatened in the seventh as leadoff batter Lexi Pederson walked. After a flyout, Casie Beauchemin singled off Zambrano to put runners at first and second base. But Zambrano and the Golden Bears escaped the jam by getting Stephanie Cameron to strikeout looking and Julia McNeill flyout to deep left field to end the game.

Endicott also had two good scoring opportunities in the third and fourth innings, but left two runners on base both times. The Gulls had eight left on base on the day.

Endicott ends its season at 18-19.

More details to come later...

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