SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (May 1, 2025) – The Golden Bears hosted Eastern Connecticut State University on Thursday for their final nonconference doubleheader series of the season. The Golden Bears started game one with two runs in the first and did not look back. Alex Ferriouolo added a three-run home run in the third to extend the Golden Bear lead to five before the Golden Bears eventually won game one 7-1. Game two saw another Alex Ferriouolo home run, but WNE dropped the game due to a seventh-inning single from Julia Boya. ECSU won game two 2-1.

Game 1: Western New England 7, ECSU 1

In game one, Ava Blanchard started the game by seeing four ECSU batters and getting four out. Blanchard picked up two strikeouts in the first inning. Then, the Golden Bears started their first at-bat with four consecutive batters getting on base. Riley Kane got the Golden Bears on the board with a no-out, bases-loaded single to center field. That brought Marley Rodriguez home. Angelees Carrasquillo tried to go home but was thrown out. Then, with two outs and runners on second and third, Nicolina Salanto sent a hit right at the pitcher, Michaela Bowen. Salanto got to first base, and Gracie Hemstock got home. WNE led 2-0 after the first inning. Bowen would record a strikeout during that first inning. Both pitchers would pick up one, two, three innings in the second, with Bowen getting another strikeout. The third inning saw Blanchard get through the inning without giving up a run after the second batter got a hit. Blanchard got the last two outs, with the final out being to Blanchard, with a runner on third. Blanchard threw the ball to first and got out of the inning. The bottom of the third saw Alex Ferriouolo extend the Golden Bear lead with a three-run home run, with runners on first and third and one out. Jordan Bennett would enter the game in the pitching circle for ECSU and got the final two outs to move the game to the fourth inning. Maggie Robeck got the Warriors on the board with a sacrifice fly ball. That brought a runner home. However, Carrasquillo would get the ball and throw it to Hemstock, who laid down the tag and got the Golden Bears out of the inning with a score of 5-1. Bennett would sit the Golden Bears down one, two, three in the bottom of the fourth, and the Warriors went up to bat in the fifth. Blanchard answered with two strikeouts and a flyout, with a runner getting on base due to an error. WNE continued to lead 5-1, going into the bottom of the inning. The Golden Bears added two to their lead in the fifth. Alex Ferriouolo hit a single up the middle to give WNE a 6-1 lead, with Angelees Carrasquillo running home. Then, Nicolina Salanto sent the ball to the shortstop, who threw Salanto out, and Alyssa Poisson scored. WNE led 7-1. Bennett would get a strikeout in the fifth, and the Warriors trailed by six going into the sixth inning. Both pitchers would see three batters from the opposition and sit three down. Blanchard picked up another strikeout during the sixth inning. Blanchard struck out three of the four batters faced in the top of the seventh and secured the 7-1 win for the Golden Bears to end ECSU's six-game win streak.

Around the Diamond:

• The Golden Bears were led by Angelees Carrasquillo, who went 3-for-3 and scored two runs.
• The Golden Bears had extra-base hits from Marley Rodriguez, who had a double, and Alex Ferriouolo, who hit a home run.
• The Golden Bears saw Ava Blanchard pitch a complete game, striking out eight and letting up on one earned run and three hits to earn the win.
• The Warriors saw three batters get hits. Maddy Bowen, Madison Pajak, and Kaley Laird each had a single.
• The Warrior pitchers combined to pitch six innings, nine hits, six earned runs, and struck out six batters
• WNE won game one 7-1.

Game 2: ECSU 2, Western New England 1

Game two saw the Warriors get on the board first. Maddy Bowen gave the Warriors the lead with a single down the right-field line. It fell just over first base with one out. That was the lone run of the inning for the Warriors as Riley Kane got a strikeout and got the final batter to ground out to Kane. Alexa Boone opposed Kane in the ECSU pitching circle. WNE had a leadoff single, but a pop-out and a double play got ECSU out of the first inning. Kane would sit the Warriors down one, two, three in the second, picking up another strikeout. Alex Ferriouolo would lead off the second inning for the Golden Bears with a game-tying solo home run over the left-field fence. The Golden Bears and Warriors were tied 1-1. After that, Boone would see four batters and struck out two, getting the third to ground out. Kane continued the Golden Bears momentum with a one, two, three inning in the third. The Golden Bears got a single in the bottom of the third but got thrown out at second trying to stretch a double. Boone got out of the inning and faced only three batters. Kane let up a leadoff single in the fourth but got the next three batters out, with the second of those three striking out. The Golden Bears would get a runner on via a walk, but Boone got out of the inning without letting up a run. The teams were tied going into the fifth inning. Kane would let up another leadoff single before getting the next three batters out, picking up another strikeout. Then, Boone got the Golden Bears out in order to end the fifth inning, with the teams still tied at one. Boone picked up a strikeout during that fifth inning. Kane answered with another three up, three down inning and kept the Warriors scoreless in the sixth inning. WNE entered the sixth, looking to grab a lead. The Golden Bears had runners on second and third with one out. However, Boone got the next two batters out and left two runners stranded on base, and the score stayed at 1-1 going into the seventh inning. ECSU took the lead in the top of the seventh. Julia Boya hit a single into left field and drove in the runner on second with two outs in the inning after Kane got another strikeout with the second out. ECSU led 2-1, going into the bottom of the seventh. WNE was down to their last three outs. The Golden Bears would get a runner to third with two outs in the inning. The Golden Bears would see their next two batters walk and have bases loaded with two outs. However, the Warriors would change their pitcher to Elizabeth Mitchell, who got the final Golden Bear batter to ground out, and WNE lost game two 2-1.

Around the Diamond:

• The Golden Bears had three hits, with Angelees Carrasquillo, Gracie Hemstock, and Alex Ferriouolo having the hits.
• Alex Ferriouolo had the sole extra-base hit, with a home run and one RBI.
• Riley Kane pitched a complete game, letting up one earned run, and struck out six batters.
• The Warriors were led at the plate by Maddy Bowen, who went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
• Maddi Sauve had the lone Warrior extra-base hit, and it was a double.
• Alexa Boone pitched 6.2 innings, let up one earned run and three hits, striking out three batters.
• Elizabeth Mitchell earned the save by pitching 0.1 innings to earn ECSU the win.
• WNE lost game two 2-1.

Up Next:

WNE stays at home for the final home doubleheader series on Saturday, May 3, 2025, at noon and 2:00 PM. The Golden Bears will host the Suffolk University Rams for WNE's Senior Day, with festivities happening before game one.