WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (March 11, 2025) – The Western New England  softball team fell in a double header on Tuesday afternoon in The Spring Games, falling 7-0 to Swarthmore College and 9-6 in nine innings against Ohio Wesleyan University. 

Records:

• Western New England: 4-4
• Swarthmore College: 5-5
• Ohio Wesleyan University: 2-1

How it Happened:

Alex Ferriouolo delivered an early single to left field in the top of the first inning for Western New England with two outs but the Golden Bears would not be able to take advantage of the hit. Riley Kane moved through the bottom of the first inning, getting the start in the circle for the Golden Bears. Kane did not give up a hit and stranded two Garnet on the base paths. Evelyn Picone picked up a single to start the top of the second but the Golden Bears would go down quickly following, being held without a run. Swarthmore would score three runs in the bottom of the second, taking advantage of an error by the Golden Bears. Elizabeth O'Connor picked up an RBI while Jordan Jackson followed suit as the Garnet picked up a 3-0 lead after two innings of play. 

Swarthmore's Kate Borza picked up an RBI single in the bottom of the third that extended Swarthmore's lead to 4-0 after three innings. Western New England would threaten in the top of the fourth but would not be able to put any runs on the board. Nicolina Salanto doubled to left field with one out in the inning while Riley Kane would reach on an error, putting runners on first and third with two outs, but WNE would strand the two runners and would continue to trail the Garnet, 4-0. Swarthmore added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning as Borza and Serafina Tinio picked up RBIs, pushing the Garnet lead to 6-0. Western New England would fall behind 7-0 after the bottom of the sixth inning with three outs left. In the seventh, WNE would only draw one base runner after Gracie Hemstock would be walked but the Golden Bears would be shutout, picking up just three hits in the game, falling by a final score of 7-0. 

Inside the Lines:

• Alex Ferriouolo, Nicolina Salanto, and Evelyn Picone had the three hits for the Golden Bears in the game. 
• The WNE defense committed four errors in the game, charging Riley Kane with just three earned runs of the six surrendered. Kane went 4.2 innings, giving up nine hits and the aforementioned six runs, while walking two and striking out one. 
• Evelyn Picone finished off the game for Western New England, going 1.1 innings, giving up two hits and one unearned run while walking one and striking out two. 
• Five different Garnet picked up RBIs in the game while Avery McClure led Swarthmore with three hits. 

How It Happened (Game 2):

The Golden Bears saw themselves get down by two in the early goings of their second game of the afternoon as Ohio Wesleyan would take advantage of an error by the Golden Bears, coming away with a quick 2-0 lead. Western New England responded with a run in the bottom half of the first inning as Angelees Carrasquillo would reach on an error and would come around to score on a fielding error by OWU on an at bat from Marley Rodriguez, quickly cutting the Battling Bishops lead in half. Ava Blanchard set down Ohio Wesleyan in the top of the second rather quickly, giving up just one hit while picking up two strikeouts. 
The Battling Bishops picked up two more runs in the top of the third, coming up with an RBI double and RBI single on back-to-back at bats, quickly extending their lead to 4-1. Their lead would stand as such until the bottom of the fourth inning when WNE scored three runs to tie the game. Kelsey Bouchard opened the bottom
of the fourth with a double, while three straight hits for WNE, a Shea McDaniel single and a bunt single from Carrasquillo, would give Western New England a run, dropping their deficit to 4-2. The Golden Bears were not done scoring, getting a two RBI single from Nicolina Salanto, evening the score at four after four innings.

The Battling Bishops started the top of the fifth inning with a double while coming up with a single in the next at-bat, scoring one, taking their lead back, now leading 5-4. Western New England would continue to battle back, getting more production from Kelsey Bouchard, who picked up an RBI single after Gracie Hemstock was hit by a pitch and made it all the way around the bases for the Golden Bears. 

The contest would need extra innings, tied at five heading into the eighth. The Battling Bishops would come up with a run in the top of the eighth inning on a fielder's choice but Western New England would pick up a run in their half of the eighth inning as Angelees Carrasquillo would score on a passed ball, tying the score at six. Western New England would surrender three runs in the top of the ninth, giving up three hits as the Battling Bishops would defeat the Golden Bears in nine innings by a final score of 9-6. 

Inside the Lines:

• Nicolina Salanto was 2/5 at the plate, picking up two RBIs in the game. 
• Kelsey Bouchard led Western New England with three hits in four at bats, scoring a run and picking up an RBI. 
• Shea McDaniel produced three SAC's in the game and was officially 1/1 at the plate. 
• Ava Blanchard went the first six innings, giving up seven hits and five runs, just two earned, while walking one and striking our four. 
• Riley Kane suffered her third loss of the season despite giving up no earned runs. 

Up Next on the Schedule:

• Western New England looks to bounce back after a day off on Wednesday, as they take on Carroll University and Gettysburg College on Thursday, March 13 at 9:00 AM and 11:15 AM.