Springfield, MA (April 13, 2024) – The Golden Bears hosted the Hawks of Roger Williams University in a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. Game one saw the teams battle back and forth, with the Golden Bears prevailing in eight innings, thanks to a Riley Kane double, which brought home the winning run. Kane and Taylor Keegan went 2-for-4 with an RBI from the plate. Kane pitched eight innings, giving up two earned runs and striking out six batters. Game two saw the Hawks jump to a quick 2-0 lead. After the Golden Bears got those two runs back, Kayleigh O'Connor sent a two-run home run over the fence to give the Hawks a 4-2 lead. After getting a runner home in the fourth, Shea McDaniel would clear the bases with a single to give the Golden Bears the 6-4 lead. The Golden Bears picked up one more run on their way to a 7-4 win. Shea McDaniel went 2-3, with three RBIs to lead the Golden Bears from the plate. Evelyn Picone earned the win, pitching five innings, striking out two batters, and only giving up one earned run.

Records:

Western New England: 14-7 (5-1)

Roger Williams University: 10-12 (1-5)

Game 1: Western New England 4, Roger Williams 3 (8 Innings)

Riley Kane and Raegen Germano took the field as the pitchers for game one. The Hawks would get a batter on base in the first. However, Kane would strike out the final batter to strand the Hawk runner on base. Then, Germano would sit the Golden Bears down one, two, three. Kane would answer by doing the same in the second, and Germano would repeat in the bottom of the second with a strikeout. The top of the third saw three more outs from Riley Kane, and in the bottom of the third, Kaleigh Blades became the first Golden Bear batter to reach base during the game with a walk. The fourth inning saw runs scored. It started with Taylor Howell doubling to right field and bringing Shannon Starratt home. Kane would get out of the runner in scoring position with one out jam. Then, after Kailey Carrano got the first hit of the game for the Golden Bears, Lizzie Weston would single to left field and bring home the pinch-runner, Alyssa Poisson. Germano got out of the jam, and the Hawks responded with another run in the top of the fifth. Hailey Williams sent a single to center field. Kayleigh O'Connor scored to put the Hawks up 2-1 going into the bottom of the fifth inning. Taylor Keegan had the answer for the Golden Bears. Keegan singled to center field. That would bring Riley Kane home, and the game was tied 2-2. Kane would sit down the Hawks in order during the top of the sixth. With Keira Quadros entering the game as the pitcher for the Hawks at the end of the fifth inning, Quadros would handle the Golden Bears in the sixth. The top of the seventh saw three batters get up and three batters get out for the Hawks. Quadros would pitch into a jam in the seventh, with two on and one out. However, Quadros would get the next two batters out, and the game went to extra innings. Kayleigh O'Connor scored for the Hawks in the top of the eighth inning when Hailey Williams grounded out to the shortstop. The Hawks were held to only one run after having runners on second and third, with no outs, and took a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the eighth. With Marley Rodriguez on second to start the inning, an error by the Hawks' left fielder brought Rodriguez home to tie the game at three. Then, with Skye Merrow taking over as pitcher, Riley Kane would hit a walk-off double and bring home Madison Mason. The Golden Bears won 4-3 in eight innings. 

Around the Diamond:

• Taylor Keegan and Riley Kane led the Golden Bears at the plate by going 2-for-4 with an RBI.
• Riley Kane had the only extra-base hit for the Golden Bears, with a double.
• Five Hawks had a hit during the first game.
• Taylor Howell and Kayleigh O'Connor each had a double for the Hawks.
• Raegen Germano pitched 4.1 innings for the Hawks, giving up one earned run and striking out two.
• Keira Quadros pitched 2.2 innings, giving up one earned run. Skye Merrow pitched 0.1 innings, giving up no earned runs.
• Riley Kane pitched a complete game, giving up two earned runs and striking out six batters.
• The Golden Bears won the game 4-3 in eight innings. 

Game 2: Western New England 7, Roger Williams 4

Ava Blanchard started game two in the pitching circle for the Golden Bears. Skye Merrow was in the circle for the Hawks. The runs started quickly as Taylor Howell hit a two-run home run over the center field fence. Then, with the Hawks threatening to get more runs with two outs. Blanchard got out of the inning. The Golden Bears answered with a Kailey Carrano single to left field in the bottom of the first. That brought Taylor Keegan home to cut the Hawks' lead in half. Hailey Williams hit a double into center field during the second; however, Blanchard would get out of the inning right after the hit. The Golden Bears had runners on second and third in the bottom of the inning with two outs. Marley Rodriguez would score to tie the game at two on a wild pitch from Merrow. Shannon Starratt answered for the Hawks in the first at-bat of the third inning. Starratt homered over the center field fence, and the Hawks were back up by one. Evelyn Picone then entered the game for the Golden Bears as the pitcher. Picone would give up a couple of hits, including a Kayleigh O'Connor single, which brought Josley Sosa home to make the game 4-2, Hawks. After that hit, Picone got out of the inning. 

The Golden Bears answered in a big way in the bottom of the third. Raegen Germano would enter the pitching circle after two Golden Bears got on base to start the bottom of the third. With runners on second and third and no outs, Madison Mason would foul out to left field. However, Gracie Hemstock tagged and scored from third. It was 4-3. Then, with two outs and the bases loaded, Shea McDaniel singled to right field. That cleared the bases, and the Golden Bears had a 6-4 lead after the third inning. Picone would get into a jam with two runners on and two out. However, Picone would get Taylor Howell to ground out to push the game to the bottom of the fourth. The bottom of the inning saw the Golden Bears get a runner on base. However, Germano would get out of the inning without the runner getting home. 

The Hawks got two batters on base, with one out in the top of the fifth. Picone would keep those runners still by getting the next two batters to ground out, and the Golden Bears ran to the dugout, still holding a two-run lead. Germano would keep the Hawks in the game by sitting the Golden Bears down one, two, three. Picone answered with the same one, two, three inning, and struck out two Hawk batters. The bottom of the sixth saw a Golden Bear batter get on base via a walk from Kim Baumann. Then a couple of singles followed before Kailey Carrano hit an infield fly to shortstop. That brought Baumann home, and the Golden Bears led 7-4. Picone walked back out to pitch the seventh for the Golden Bears. Picone would get all three Hawk batters to ground out, and the Golden Bears picked up a sixth win in a row by beating the Hawks 7-4.

Around the Diamond:

• Three Golden Bears recorded two hits in game two. Taylor Keegan and Kailey Carrano went 2-for-4, with Carrano picking up an RBI.
• Shea McDaniel went 2-for-3, with three RBIs.
• Shannon Starratt led the Hawks in game two by going 3-for-4 with a double, a home run, and an RBI.
• Hailey Williams and Taylor Howell notched the other extra-base hits for the Hawks. Williams had a double, and Howell had a double and a home run.
• Skye Merrow pitched two innings for the Hawks, giving up four earned runs. Raegen Germano pitched four innings, giving up one earned run and striking out three batters. 
• Ava Blanchard pitched two innings, giving up three earned runs and striking out one batter.
• Evelyn Picone let up one earned run, striking out two batters and picking up the win.
• The Golden Bears won the game 7-4.

Up Next:

• The Golden Bears will travel to Endicott College for a battle with the Gulls on Sunday, April 14, 2024, at noon and 2:00 pm.
• The Hawks will host the Wentworth Institute of Technology at noon and 2:00 pm on Sunday, April 14, 2024, for their next CCC doubleheader.