Springfield, Mass. (April 27, 2024) – The Golden Bears hosted the University of New England in WNE's final regular season home doubleheader. The Golden Bears scored four runs in the first and a fifth run in the second, thanks to Gracie Hemstock's first home run of the season. The Golden Bears tacked three runs on in the bottom of the fifth to bring the mercy rule into effect and win game one 8-0. Gracie Hemstock, Madison Mason, and Alex Ferriouolo each had two hits during the game. Ava Blanchard pitched five innings, letting up three hits and striking out six batters. The second game saw UNE get a run early, then three more from a Delaney Whitten home run. They would stretch the lead to 6-0 at one point. The Golden Bears battled back. They scored one in the fifth and four in the sixth to cut the lead to 6-5. However, UNE got two more in the seventh and won the game 8-5. Four UNE batters had more than one hit during game two. Kara MacDonald pitched 5.1 innings, letting up five earned runs, and struck out three batters to earn the win for UNE.

Records:

Western New England: 20-10 (8-4)

University of New England: 10-24 (5-9)

Game 1: Western New England 8, University of New England 0 (Five Innings)

Ava Blanchard started in the circle for the Golden Bears. Blanchard let up a leadoff single but then got the next three batters out, striking out one to get out of the inning. Mo Kinsella started the game as the pitcher for UNE. Kinsella got the first batter out but then hit the next and walked two batters. That brought up Alex Ferriouolo, who got hit, and that brought Gracie Hemstock in to give WNE the 1-0 lead. Lizzie Weston then sent a single to right field to bring Kailey Carrano home, and the Golden Bears led 2-0. Kinsella got the next batter out. However, Kim Baumann then ripped a single down the left field line to bring home Alex Ferriouolo and Madison Mason to put the Golden Bears up 4-0 to end the first inning. Blanchard would let up a walk in the second but struck out the final two batters to get out of the inning. Kinsella started the bottom of the second by getting the leadoff Golden Bear batter out. However, Gracie Hemstock would turn on a pitch from Kinsella in the next at-bat and send it just over the left-field fence for Hemstock's first home run of the season. It was 5-0 after the home run. Kinsella would get the next batter to strike out, but Madison Mason would rip a double into left-center field and keep the inning going. Kinsella would get the final out two batters later.

UNE started the third with a hit. However, Blanchard struck out two batters and got the final out to move the game to the bottom of the third. Kinsella sat the Golden Bears down one, two, three to get to the fourth inning. Blanchard answered with a one, two, three inning, striking out one more UNE batter. Kinsella would respond with a second one, two, three inning in a row to keep the score at 5-0 WNE. UNE would get a runner on in the top of the fifth, but Blanchard would get out of the inning with a fifth scoreless inning in a row. Madison Mason led off the bottom of the fifth and sent the ball over the left-field fence to make the score 6-0. Alex Ferriouolo then doubled to almost the same exact spot. Marley Rodriguez ripped a double down the left-field line, and Ferriouolo scored to push the score to 7-0. Then, Liv Arvidson would enter as the pitcher for the Nor'Easters with one out. Kim Baumann was the next batter. Baumann ripped a hit into right field, and Rodriguez scored to give the Golden Bears the 8-0 win in five innings. 

Around the Diamond:

• Gracie Hemstock, Madison Mason, and Alex Ferriouolo each had two hits to lead the Golden Bears.
• Five Golden Bears collected extra-base hits, with doubles from Madison Mason, Alex Ferriouolo, and Marley Rodriguez.
• Gracie Hemstock and Madison Mason each had a home run during game one.
• Becca Dumont led UNE by going 2-for-2 with a stolen base.
• Liv Arvidson pitched against one batter for UNE. Mo Kinsella pitched 4.1 innings, letting up eight earned runs and striking out one batter.
• Ava Blanchard pitched five innings, letting up only three hits and no earned runs, and struck out six batters to earn the win.
• The Golden Bears won the game 8-0 in five innings.

Game 2: University of New England 8, Western New England 5

Shelby Parr started the second game in the circle. The Nor'Easters would get the first two batters on. Parr would get the next three batters out. However, Olivia Howe would hit a sacrifice fly to left-center field, which brought Hannah Irons home, and UNE led 1-0. Outside of a walk, UNE starting pitcher Kara MacDonald would handle the top of the WNE order to keep the Nor'Easters in the lead after one. Parr let up a single in the second, but that was it, and the Golden Bears went back to the dugout down one. WNE had a single, as well, but MacDonald limited the Golden Bears to that hit, and the game went to the third inning with the Golden Bears still trailing by one. After an out and two singles, Emilia Garcia would enter the game for Parr as the WNE pitcher. Then, Grace Tutt sent a single through the middle of the infield, and that scored Emma Michaud. UNE led 2-0. The next batter was Delaney Whitten, who would slap a long fly ball that carried over the left-field fence to score Grace Tutt and Olivia Howe. The Nor'Easters now led 5-0. Garcia would get a strikeout and finish the inning. However, UNE had done the same to make it a five-run lead. MacDonald felt the momentum and kept it going for UNE by sitting the WNE batters down one, two, three. 

The Golden Bears hoped to halt that momentum by putting Ava Blanchard into the pitching circle to start the fourth inning. That is what it would do as UNE got two runners on to try to continue the momentum. However, Blanchard had two strikeouts, and the Golden Bears kept the UNE runners stranded on first and second base. MacDonald did not get the memo that the momentum was shifting, as the Golden Bears were sat down one, two, three once again. Blanchard got the first two batters out. However, then UNE had a runner on second and Abby Walsh would hit a long single to right-center field, and that brought Elise Connor home to extend the UNE lead to 6-0. The Golden Bears answered with a run in the bottom of the fifth. Kim Baumann started the inning with a double. Then, after moving to third on a sacrifice bunt by Marley Rodriguez, Angie Carrasquillo got a first-career hit with a single. That brought Baumann home, and the score was 6-1. UNE had a runner on second and no outs. However, after an error in left field led to Irons running home, Kailey Carrano would get the throw from Carrasquillo, and relayed it to Madison Mason at home. Mason laid the tag and got Irons out. Then, fired the ball back to Carrano who put the tag on Michaud for the double play. UNE got a couple more runners on; however, then Blanchard would get the final out. 

Kailey Carrano got the bottom of the sixth started for the Golden Bears with a massive home run that went into the trees in left-center field. The Golden Bears would then go back-to-back with singles. MacDonald would get the next batter to strike out. Marley Rodriguez strode to the plate, and slapped a double down the left-field line to drive in two runs, and the score was 6-4. Then, Mo Kinsella would enter the game as the pitcher for UNE. Carlina Salinas pinch-hit for the Golden Bears and would get on. With runners on first and second, Angie Carrasquillo bunted past the pitcher to second, where there was no fielder. Rodriguez ran home, and the score was 6-5. Carrasquillo would steal to put runners on second and third. Keegan would fly out. Baumann would run home. However, UNE checked the runner on third, and the home umpire called Baumann out, saying that Baumann did not tag up. That ended the big inning for the Golden Bears.

Evelyn Picone entered the game for the Golden Bears as the pitcher. UNE would start the inning by getting two runners on base. Then, Hannah Lappin singled up the middle to drive Jaiden McKenna home. After a fielder's choice, Hannah Irons singled to right field, and Fiona Casey scored. UNE led 8-5 after the top of the seventh. Down to their final three outs, the Golden Bears got a runner on via a walk. However, Kinsella would get three outs, and the Golden Bears fell 8-5 to the Nor'Easters in game two.

Around the Diamond:

• The Golden Bears were led by Marley Rodriguez and Angie Carrasquillo, who went 2-for-2 with two RBIs and 2-for-3 with one RBI, respectively.
• The Golden Bears had three extra-base hits. Evelyn Picone and Marley Rodriguez each had a double.
• Kailey Carrano hit a solo home run.
• Elise Connor went 3-for-4 for the Nor'Easters. 
• Hannah Irons, Emma Michaud, and Olivia Howe all had multiple hits.
• UNE had three extra-base hits, with Irons and Connor having doubles and Delaney Whitten hitting a three-run home run.
• Shelby Parr pitched 2.1 innings, letting up three earned runs and getting a strikeout. Emilia Garcia pitched 0.2 innings, giving up two earned runs and getting one strikeout. Ava Blanchard pitched 3.1 innings, letting up one earned run and getting two strikeouts. Evelyn Picone pitched one inning, giving up one earned run.
• Mo Kinsella pitched 1.2 innings, giving up no earned runs and striking out one batter.
• Kara MacDonald let up five earned runs, collecting three strikeouts and earning the win.
• UNE beat WNE 8-5.

Up Next:

• The Golden Bears will travel to eastern Massachusetts for a CCC doubleheader against Curry College on Sunday, April 28, 2024, at noon and 2:00 PM.
• The Nor'Easters will travel back to Maine and host Nichols College on Sunday, April 27, 2024, at noon and 2:00 PM.