SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (April 18, 2025) – The Golden Bears hosted the Fighting Scots of Gordon College on Friday in a conference showdown. A back-and-forth game one saw the teams trade the lead multiple times, but in the end, it was an Ava Barnhart walk-off single that earned the Golden Bears a game one victory, 5-4. A nine-run first inning propelled the Golden Bears to a 13-3 win in game two, and the Golden Bears swept the Fighting Scots in their conference doubleheader.

Game 1: Western New England 5, Gordon 4

Gordon began game one by getting two runners on via walks. However, WNE pitcher Evelyn Picone would pick up two strikeouts and get the final batter to ground out to keep Gordon scoreless in the top of the first. The Golden Bears earned the early lead in the bottom of the first thanks to Gracie Hemstock's single, bringing Marley Rodriguez home. The Golden Bears would also load the bases with two outs, but Gordon's pitcher, Emily Graham, would get the final batter to swing and strike out to keep the WNE lead at 1-0. The Fighting Scots answered with a run of their own in the top of the second. Emily Peterson got on first due to a throwing error, and Makayla Falco would score. Picone would get out of the inning two batters later, having only let up one run, and the Golden Bears went to bat in the bottom of the inning tied 1-1. The Golden Bears only had four batters get to the plate in the second after seven in the first. One runner got on, but Graham would get three outs and limit the Golden Bears to that one runner and no runs in the second. In the third inning, both teams put up runs. It started with the Fighting Scots taking the lead on a Makayla Falco single down the left-field line to score Emily Graham before Ava Blanchard entered as the pitcher and Angelees Carrasquillo threw out a runner stealing second, with Alex Ferriouolo tagging the runner out. Then, in the bottom of the inning, Riley Kane launched a two-run home run deep over the left-center field fence. WNE led 3-2, which is how it would stay going into the fourth, with Graham striking out the final WNE batter with a Golden Bear stranded on second base. Gordon answered right back with a two-out, two-run home run from Caoimhe Wernsing. That hit gave Gordon the 4-3 lead. However, that lead was not safe once again. Katie Melendy entered the pitching circle for the Fighting Scots and got the first two outs with only letting one runner on before Gracie Hemstock looped a two-out single into left-center field and scored Marley Rodriguez to tie the game at 4-4. Melendy then got the final out to move the game to the fifth inning. Gordon tried to get their lead back as they got two of their first three batters on base, but Blanchard would strike out the fourth batter and get the final batter to ground out. The Golden Bears would walk their way to a runner on first and second with two outs. However, Melendy got the final batter to ground out, and the teams entered the sixth inning. The sixth inning was Blanchard's inning as Blanchard sat the Fighting Scots down one, two, three, with a pop-out and two strikeouts. The leadoff hitter for the Golden Bears got on first, but Melendy's three consecutive outs kept the Golden Bears from earning the lead. The Fighting Scots got a runner on in the top of the seventh and threatened to score, but Blanchard would strand that runner on base and picked up a strikeout as well in the seventh to give the Golden Bears a chance at a walk-off hit in the bottom of the inning. That is exactly what the Golden Bears would get. With Alex Ferriouolo on second, Ava Barnhart hit a single to third. Barnhart would beat the throw to first, and on the throw, Ferriouolo ran home and slid into home before the throw got there, and the Golden Bears won 5-4.

Around the Diamond:

• The Golden Bears were led at the plate by a 3-for-3 performance from Marley Rodriguez. Rodriguez also worked a walk and scored two runs.
• Gracie Hemstock went 3-for-4 with two RBIs for the Golden Bears also.
• Rodriguez and Hemstock had a double each, with Riley Kane having a home run to round out the extra-base hits for WNE.
• Makayla Falco led the Fighting Scots by going 3-for-4 with an RBI and a double.
• Caoimhe Wernsing went 2-for-3 with a walk and a home run, batting in two RBIs.
• Emily Graham had the third extra-base hit for the Fighting Scots, a double.
• The two Gordon pitchers gave up nine hits, four earned runs, and had three strikeouts.
• The Golden Bear pitchers let up nine hits and three earned runs and struck out nine batters.
• The Golden Bears defeated the Fighting Scots 5-4 via a walk-off single by Ava Barnhart.

Game 2: Western New England 13, Gordon 3 (5 Innings)

Riley Kane started game two in the pitching circle for WNE. Kane got the first batter to ground out, the second to line out, and struck out the third to start the game. The Golden Bears did not waste any time getting runs in game two. Angelees Carrasquillo started the scoring with a double, which drove Marley Rodriguez home. Then, Riley Kane singled to bring Carrasquillo home. WNE led 2-0. Emily Graham would enter as the pitcher after Katie Melendy was moved to right field. With runners on first and third, Alex Ferriouolo reached first on a fielder's choice. That brought Kane home to extend the lead to 3-0. However, there was an error at second base to keep two runners on base for WNE. Then, with the bases loaded, Ava Barnhart hit a single to right field, scoring Kim Baumann and Ferriouolo. WNE led 5-0. Marley Rodriguez followed that with the second double of the game and third of the day. That brought Nicolina Solanto home, and Barnhart would get tagged out at home. WNE led 6-0. Then, with two on base and two out, Angelees Carrasquillo hit a single up the middle, driving McDaniel and Rodriguez home. The center fielder would misplay the ball, and Carrasquillo would run all the way home to extend the Golden Bear lead to 9-0 after one inning of play with the Golden Bears batting through their order once. Riley Kane would see three Gordon batters and get all three out to bring the Golden Bear batters back to the plate. The bottom of the second saw Caoimhe Wernsing enter the pitching circle for the Fighting Scots. Wernsing got two outs before WNE got three more runs. It started with Alyssa Poisson tripling to deep right field to bring Kane and Ferriouolo home. WNE led 11-0. Then, Poisson would score on a passed ball, and WNE had a 12-0 lead after two innings of play. Kane got the seventh, eighth, and ninth batters of the game for Gordon out, and the game moved to the bottom of the third inning. The third did not see the Golden Bears score, but it did see Emma Ballschmieder get a first-career Golden Bear hit, a single to right field. In the fourth inning, both teams would get a run. Gordon saw Ami Rivera slap a solo home run deep over the left field fence. WNE's lead was now eleven. WNE would get that run back, though. In the bottom of the fourth, Aubrey Gaudiosi reached on an error. That error brought Kelsey Bouchard home, and WNE led 13-1 after four innings. The Fighting Scots would not quit, though. Caoimhe Wernsing hit a single into right-center field. That scored a run. Then, Ami Rivera reached first on a fielder's choice, scoring 13-3, WNE. Riley Kane got the final out of the game after that with a strikeout, and WNE completed the sweep with a 13-3 win in five innings versus Gordon College.

Around the Diamond:

• Nine Golden Bears recorded a hit in game two, with four Golden Bears recording two hits.
• Marley Rodriguez hit two doubles, Angelees Carrasquillo had one double, and Alyssa Poisson hit a triple in the win.
• Riley Kane pitched five innings, let up five hits, three earned runs, and struck out four batters.
• The Fighting Scots saw five batters get a hit.
• Ami Rivera led the Fighting Scots with a home run and two RBIs.
• The Gordon College pitchers combined to give up 13 hits, six earned runs, eleven total runs, and Caoimhe Wernsing struck out two Golden Bear batters.
• WNE completed the sweep and won game two 13-3 in five innings.

Coach's Corner:

Head coach Amanda Novak was asked for a comment after the game. "We hit the ball really well today. I am very proud of them. Everybody contributed. Big week next week," Novak stated.

Marley Rodriguez was interviewed after the incredible 5-for-6, three-double performance today. When asked to take us through how Rodriguez had such a great day, Rodriguez replied, "I think I had a new mentality up there just cause I am (batting first) now, and I was kind of nervous going up there. I knew my teammates would back me up even if I didn't get the first hit. It's all about coming together and working as a team to get one of those thirteen runs that we had." When asked what the mentality was going into game two after a walk-off win in game one, Rodriguez mentioned, "I think (the walk-off win) really carried (the team) through our second game just because of the fact that we were so hyped after that walk-off." Finally, when asked what it will take to get some wins when they welcome CNE top-ranked Endicott College to town on Tuesday, Rodriguez said, "I think our mentality and us coming together with our bats. We have solid defense right now, and our pitching staff is on lockdown right now."

Up Next:

WNE will stay home for their third consecutive doubleheader on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, starting at 3:00 PM. They will host the Endicott College Gulls in a big conference doubleheader gameday.