SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (April 13, 2016) - The Western New England University softball team dropped a pair of non-conference contests to crosstown rival Springfield College this afternoon at Golden Bear Softball Park. Springfield won the opener, 5-1 in eight innings, before holding off a late Western New England rally to earn a 3-2 victory in game two.
 
Springfield 5, Western New England 1 (8 innings)
The Pride plated four runs in the top of the eighth inning to snap a 1-1 tie in the first contest of the day. Springfield recorded just one hit in the decisive frame but benefitted from a pair of Western New England errors.
 
After two scoreless innings, senior Melissa Nelson (Milford, Conn.) staked the visitors to a 1-0 lead in the top of third with an RBI double to left field.
 
Western New England answered in the bottom half of the inning, however, as sophomore Lindsay Williams (Coventry, Conn.) led off with a single before coming around to score on junior Katie Wood's (Westport, Mass.) RBI double to right field. Williams finished with two hits for the Golden Bears, while Wood, junior Gabby Lavinio (Dalton, Mass.) and senior Alexis Bukowski (Wallingford, Conn.) had one each.
 
Senior Heidi Grieger (Hyde Park, N.Y.) got the start in the circle for Western New England and dropped to 8-5 with the loss despite giving up just one earned run on seven hits over eight innings.
 
Springfield 3, Western New England 2
Springfield claimed an early lead in game two and held off Western New England's seventh inning rally to secure the doubleheader sweep.
 
The Pride plated three runs in the top of the second inning, as freshman Sam Cox (Longmeadow, Mass.) and sophomore Rachel Ball (Coventry, R.I.) came through with RBI singles, and sophomore Carianna Gasdia (Wakefield, Mass.) followed with a sacrifice fly.
 
Springfield junior Nicole Cring (Cooperstown, N.Y.) kept Western New England off the board over the first six innings, allowing just one hit in the process, but the Golden Bears finally got to her for two runs in the seventh.
 
Bukowski got it started with a single to left center, and senior McKenzie Pezze (Albany, N.Y.) reached base on an error. After the next two batters struck out, Wood drew a walk to load the bases and sophomore Jenn Luba (Plymouth, Conn.) delivered a clutch, two-run single through the right side of the infield. With the potential game-tying run on second base, Cring retired the final batter to end the threat and clinch Springfield's win.
 
Western New England (13-11, 7-1 CCC) will look to bounce back tomorrow with a doubleheader at Eastern Nazarene, while Springfield (17-9, 6-4 NEWMAC) returns home to host Clark on Friday.