Springfield, MA (March 30, 2024) – After a field change, the Golden Bears opened up their 2024 CCC play by welcoming the Suffolk University Rams to town. Although the games were in Springfield, the Rams were the home side for both games. Game one saw the Rams jump out to a 4-0 lead after three innings and keep the lead till the end. They won game one 7-2 over the Golden Bears. The Rams were led by Julia Mills, who went 3-for-3 with a walk, and Ella Turnbull, who hit a homerun for the Rams. Lily Newhall only let up one earned run in the win. Game two saw the Golden Bears score three runs in the first two innings. The Rams answered with three in the third, but the Golden Bears scored seven in a row to hold off the Rams, 10-7. The Golden Bears were led by Gracie Hemstock, who went 3-for-5, and Shea McDaniel, who went 2-for-2, with a walk. It was a first career Golden Bear start for Shelby Parr, who gave up three earned runs and collected three strikeouts.

Game 1: Suffolk 7, Western New England 2

Lily Newhall and Riley Kane started as the pitchers for the Rams and Golden Bears, respectively, during game one of the doubleheader. Both pitchers got through the first inning without giving up a run. The Golden Bears went down one, two, three. The Rams got two runners on but could not bring them home. The Golden Bears loaded the bases in the top of the second but would strand the runners on base. The Rams would take the lead in the bottom of the inning. Ava Brandow walked, and Ella Turnbull drove Brandow in with a two-run homerun over the center field fence. The score was 2-0 after two. Newhall would lock the Golden Bears down in the top of the third to keep the momentum with the Rams. It was a one, two, three inning for the Golden Bears' offense. The bottom of the third saw two more runners score for the Rams. It started with a single from Julia Mills. An errant throw by the Golden Bears would help Lily Gustafson score. Then, with Mills on third and one out, Catherine Carignan hit a sacrifice fly to right field. Mills tagged up and scored. The Golden Bears trailed 4-0 after three innings of play.

The Golden Bears had runners on first and second, with one out in the top of the fourth. However, Newhall struck out one batter and got the final batter of the inning to ground out. The Rams would get one on in the fourth, but Kane kept them off the scoreboard. The top of the fifth saw the Golden Bears push back into the game. It began with Kaleigh Blades's triple, which fell on the right field line and rolled away from the right fielder. Taylor Keegan singled up the middle of the field to bring Blades home. With runners on first and second and two outs, Alex Ferriouolo would get on base via an error from the Rams. Kailey Carrano scored. The Golden Bears cut the deficit to 4-2 following the top of the fifth inning. 

The Rams would extend that lead back to four in the bottom of the inning, though. With two outs and runners on second and third, Delaney Doidge sent a hit in between shortstop and third base. That brought Ashley Hubner home. Then, Ava Brandow got on base because of a Golden Bear error, and Catherine Carignan scored. The Rams led 6-2 after five innings. The top of the sixth saw Riley Kane start the inning with a single. However, the next three batters got out, and the score stayed the way it was. Julia Mills pushed the Rams' lead to five runs with a single through the middle of the infield. That brought Maddie Southers home. The score was 7-2. Shelby Parr would finish the game in the pitching circle for the Golden Bears. The Golden Bears had one more chance for runs. However, in the top of the seventh inning, Newhall sat the Golden Bears down one, two, three, and the Rams won the game 7-2.

Around the Diamond:

• The Golden Bears had nine hits.
• Taylor Keegan went 2-for-4, with an RBI, and Riley Kane went 2-for-3 for WNE.
• Kaleigh Blades had the lone extra-base hit for WNE, with a triple.
• Julia Mills led the Rams by going 3-for-3, with a walk and an RBI.
• Lily Gustafson went 2-for-3, with a walk and a double.
• Riley Kane went 5.1 innings, giving up five earned runs and collecting three strikeouts.
• Lily Newhall earned the win for the Rams, letting up one earned run and having one strikeout in seven innings pitched.
• The Rams won the game 7-2.

Game 2: Western New England 10, Suffolk 7

Game two saw Shelby Parr get the start in the pitching circle for the Golden Bears for the first time. Cynthia Rucinski got the start for the Rams. The Golden Bears got on the scoreboard right away. Alex Ferriouolo singled into left field with one out and two on. That brought Gracie Hemstock home. The Golden Bears would have bases loaded and two outs but could not bring another runner home. The bottom of the inning saw Parr get the Rams out one, two, three. It was 1-0 Golden Bears after one. The Golden Bears extended their lead to 3-0 in the second. Kaleigh Blades had a sacrifice bunt but would get on base because of a throw that went into right field. That brought Shea McDaniel home. Shelby Parr struck out two batters in the second while sitting the Rams down one, two, three, and the Golden Bears led by three after two innings. The third inning saw Rucinski sit the Golden Bears down in order. Then, the Rams gained momentum, and with two outs and two on in the bottom of the third, Lily Gustafson hit a triple into deep right field. That would bring Jolie Quintana and Maddie Southers home. It was 3-2. Not for long, though. The next batter, Julia Mills, singled up the middle and into center field. Gustafson ran home, and the score was tied 3-3. The top of the fourth saw the Golden Bears regain the lead thanks to Gracie Hemstock singling up the middle with two outs and two runners on base. That brought Shea McDaniel home. It was 4-3. Ava Blanchard took over at pitcher for the Golden Bears in the fourth inning. Blanchard would see four batters. Two hit into outs, one walked, and the final batter was struck out.

The fifth was an inning that saw the Golden Bears break the lead wide open. With the bases loaded and one out, Kaleigh Blades smacked a double into deep center field and into the fence. Marley Rodriguez and Angie Carrasqui scored. It was 6-4. The next batter was Taylor Keegan, who hit the ball to shortstop. Shortstop threw it to first for the out; however, it was still an RBI for Keegan, who brought Shea McDaniel home. Gracie Hemstock was up next and singled into right field. That brought Blades home. Ashlyn Conley would enter the game as the pitcher for the Rams after that. The Golden Bears led 8-3 after the top of the fifth inning. Blanchard kept the momentum with the Golden Bears. Blanchard sat the Rams down one, two, three, with one strikeout. The Golden Bears had runners on second and third, with no outs in the sixth inning. Evelyn Picone would drive Alex Ferriouolo home with a hit that forced the player at second to throw to first for the out. Then, Marley Rodriguez grounded out to third. However, that brought Madison Mason home. It was 10-3. 

The Rams went down in order once again in the bottom of the sixth. Blanchard struck out one more batter. Conley sat the Golden Bears down one, two, three in the top of the seventh. Emilia Garcia entered at pitcher to start the bottom of the seventh for the Golden Bears. Garcia got a strikeout. However, Ella Turnbull would send a hit to left field for a single. That brought Ava Brandow home. Garcia would get the second out. However, Julia Mills sent a hit up the middle for a single. That brought Ashley Hubner home. The next batter was Becky Zellin. Zellin hit a double into left field. That brought Josie Quintana and Lily Gustafson home. The score was 10-7. Riley Kane would enter the game for the Golden Bears as the pitcher and get the final batter to fly out. The Golden Bears took game two 10-7.

Around the Diamond:

• The Golden Bears collected 11 hits in the win.
• Gracie Hemstock went 3-for-5, with two RBIs for WNE.
• Shea McDaniel went 2-for-2 with a walk for the Golden Bears. 
• Kailey Carrano and Kaleigh Blades both had doubles in the win.
• Julia Mills led the Rams by going 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
• Cynthia Rucinski had four strikeouts and let up seven earned runs for the Rams in 4.2 innings pitched.
• Ava Blanchard picked up the win for the Golden Bears with three strikeouts, giving up no earned runs in three innings pitched. 
• Riley Kane earned the save.
• The Golden Bears won game two, 10-7.

Up Next:

• The Golden Bears will host cross-town rivals Springfield College on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, at 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM. 
• The Rams will host Salem State University on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, at 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM.