Gulls take opener 2-0, before rallying for 4-2 win in game two

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (April 21, 2018) – The Western New England University softball team lost two games to Endicott College on Saturday afternoon in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) action at Golden Bear Park. The Gulls defeated the Golden Bears 2-0 in the opener, before rallying for a 4-2 win in game two. 

Prior to the start of the doubleheader, Western New England recognized its five seniors, Samantha Pelow (Torrington, Conn.), Jenn Luba (Plymouth, Conn.), Jen Zazzarino (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) Emily Cramer (Stoughton, Mass.) and Lindsay Williams (Coventry, Conn.), for their contributions to the program over the past four years.

Endicott 2, WNE 0

Top Performers
• Williams and sophomore Mallory Donelan (Mineola, N.Y.) had one hit each for the Golden Bears in the opener, while sophomore Paige Uliase (Meriden, Conn.) struck out three batters and allowed two unearned runs over six innings in the circle.

• Endicott was led offensively by junior Gina DeMilt (Princeton, N.J.), who went 2-for-3 at the plate with a double and a triple.
• Sophomore pitcher Maggie Oram (Lexington, Mass.) fanned 11 batters and allowed just two hits during a complete game shutout performance.

Game Review
Endicott scored the only two runs of the contest in the top of the second inning. Freshman Adrianna Favreau (Tewksbury, Mass.) led off and reached on an error, before moving up to second on a sacrifice bunt. Junior Olivia Odermatt (Cheshire, Conn.) came up next and produced an RBI single down the right field line, and the Gulls successfully executed a double steal later in the frame to increase their lead.

Western New England loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth on a hit by pitch, walk and Endicott error, but the Golden Bears were unable to capitalize as Oram struck Zazzarino out to end the threat.

Donelan's leadoff double in the fifth represented Western New England's first hit of the game, and Williams recorded a single to left two batters later. The Golden Bears again came up empty, however, as Donelan was tagged out at home attempting to score on a passed ball. 

Oram retired the side in order in the sixth and seventh innings to seal the win for the Gulls.

Endicott 4, WNE 2

Top Performers
• Freshman Cassidy Howe (North Andover, Mass.) led the Golden Bears in game two, as she went 1-for-2 at the plate with a walk and two RBI.
• Luba and sophomore Sydney Pounds (Milford, Mass.) both singled and scored a run.  

• Favreau paced the Gulls, as she went 2-for-3 with a double, two RBI and one run scored.
• Junior Jamie Hopgood (Warwick, R.I.) and graduate student Lindsee Allienello (East Providence, R.I.) chipped in with two hits each for Endicott.

Game Review
After two scoreless frames, both offenses put runs on the board in the third inning. Endicott took a 1-0 lead on Hopgood's RBI single, before the Golden Bears pulled ahead in the bottom of the frame when Howe came up with the bases loaded and delivered a two-out, two-run single up the middle.

Western New England led by the same score until the sixth inning, when the Gulls scored three runs on four hits. Hopgood got it started with a double to center field, and senior Emily Sharpe (South Glens Falls, N.Y.) followed with a single to left. Following a pitching change for the Golden Bears, Favreau ripped a two-run double down the left field line, giving the visitors a 3-2 lead. Two batters later, Odermatt made it a two-run game with a sacrifice fly.

Western New England was unable to get anything going against Endicott sophomore Michaela Hamill (Lynn, Mass.) over the final two innings, as the Gulls completed the sweep.

Up Next
Both teams will be back in action on Sunday, as Western New England (17-15, 10-6 CCC) travels to Roger Williams and Endicott (22-4, 10-2 CCC) visits Salve Regina.