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Western New England University

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SB 3.10
1
Western New Eng. WESTERN
3
Winner Calvin CALVIN
Western New Eng. WESTERN
1
Final
3
Calvin CALVIN
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Western New Eng. WESTERN 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 6 0
Calvin CALVIN 0 2 1 0 0 0 X 3 7 1

W: Emma Ludema () L: Picone, Evelyn ()

14
Winner Wesleyan (Conn.) WESLEYAN 1-1
6
Western New Eng. WNE 3-3
Winner
Wesleyan (Conn.) WESLEYAN
1-1
14
Final
6
Western New Eng. WNE
3-3
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 R H E
Wesleyan (Conn.) WESLEYAN 9 0 4 1 0 14 17 3
Western New Eng. WNE 1 0 3 1 1 6 7 2

W: Whitney Gigante (1-0) L: Cardona, Brianna (1-1)

Game Recap: Softball |

Golden Bears Falter on Day Three, Drop Both Contests to Fall to 3-3 on the Week

CLERMONT, Fla. (March 10, 2026) – The Golden Bears had a tough day three at "the Spring Games" as they fell in both games to Calvin University and Wesleyan University. The team was led by Marley Rodriguez's four hits between the two games, along with Olivia Lugo's 2/2, with a walk, performance from the plate in game two.
Game One:
Score:
  • Western New England: 1
  • Calvin University: 3
How it Happened (vs.  Calvin University)
First Inning:
  • Western New England jumped out of the gates early as both Marley Rodriguez and Angelees Carrasquillo opened the game with a pair of singles to put runners on base early. After a sacrifice bunt from Olivia Lugo, the Golden Bears took advantage of an infield error by the Knights on an Evelyn Picone ground ball, scoring a run and taking a 1-0 lead.
  • Picone, who also made the start in the circle, saw Calvin open with a bunt single, but caught the runner stealing a base while getting a pair of outs in the infield to get out of the inning without a blemish.
Second Inning:
  • Western New England was retired in order in the top of the second, while Calvin came away with its first two runs of the game to take a 2-1 lead. The Knights led the inning off with a Natalie Bush double to left field, but Bush didn't last long on the base paths, getting picked off shortly after. A walk to Tory Decker came back to haunt WNE, as a pair of passed balls advanced that runner home to tie the game at one. Following the passed ball, Emily Sweetland delivered an RBI single up the middle to give Calvin a 2-1 lead after two innings.
Third Inning:
  • The Golden Bears couldn't respond in the top of the third inning, but the Knights capitalized for one run on an RBI single from Bush, who started the game 2/2 at the plate. Calvin exited the third inning ahead 3-1.
Fifth Inning:
  • Western New England put a runner on third base with just one out in the top of the fifth inning after Marley Rodriguez picked up her second hit of the game and first triple of the season, allowing the Golden Bears to threaten with a runner in scoring position. Olivia Lugo was struck by a pitch with two outs, but the Blue and Gold could not take advantage of the two runners on with two outs, ending the top of the fifth without a run.
  • Riley Kane, who subbed into the game in the circle, cruised through the Calvin lineup, setting the Knights down in the fifth.
Sixth Inning:
  • WNE had the same results in the sixth as they did in the fifth, getting a triple with two outs in the inning after Katherine Brooks delivered the big hit for the Golden Bears, but Western New England couldn't drive home the runner in scoring position, grounding out to end the inning.
  • Calvin threatened in the bottom half of the inning, but Kane picked up a groundout and a popout to end the inning.
Seventh Inning:
  • Western New England's Marley Rodriguez picked up another hit for WNE, singling with an out in the seventh, but the Golden Bears were not able to bring the runner home or add any extra hits in the frame, falling by a final score of 3-1.
Inside the Diamond:
  • Offensively, the Golden Bears were led by Marley Rodriguez, who had three of WNE's six hits in the game.
  • Katherine Brooks went 2/3 at the plate, including a triple.
  • Evelyn Picone went the first two innings in the circle for WNE, giving up just three hits and a walk without giving up any earned runs. Riley Kane finished the final four innings, giving up four hits, a run, a walk, and struck out two.
Game Two:
  • Western New England: 6
  • Wesleyan University: 14
How it Happened (vs. Wesleyan University):
First Inning:
  • It was a tough start for the Golden Bears as the Cardinals scored nine in the top of the first inning. It started with Cat Palmer hitting a single to shortstop. A run came home, Wesleyan led 1-0.
  • Two hits immediately followed with Whitney Gigante hitting a two-run single and Jordynn Killion doubling into left field, down the line. WNE trailed 4-0.
  • Two more runs came from an Ella DeCrescenzo double into right field to make the score 6-0. Then, a Molly Lennon single and another Cat Palmer single scored one run and two runs, respectively, to give the Cardinals a commanding 9-0 lead.
  • Olivia Lugo would also get WNE on the board in the first, thanks to an error, and the score was 9-1 after the first.
Third Inning:
  • Kaylin Heffern, who had entered the game for Brianna Cardona in the first, sailed through the second, but so did Whitney Gigante, the Wesleyan pitcher.
  • The Cardinals scored four more runs in the third via a double from Molly Lennon, another RBI single from Cat Palmer, and a single from Jordynn Killion. Wesleyan led 13-1. Sophia Keays entered the game for the first time as the pitcher for the Golden Bears in the third.
  • WNE would not quit the fight, though. Evelyn Picone singled to drive home Katelyn Bailey, and Mia Marigliano would pinch hit and single to center field, driving home Katherine Brooks and Aubrey Gaudiosi. WNE trailed 13-4 after the third. That was Marigliano's first career Golden Bear hit.
Fourth Inning:
  • WNE made changes all around the diamond in the fourth, including Riley Kane entering the game as the pitcher. Wesleyan would still add a run in the fourth because of a batter getting hit by a pitch and a runner going home. WNE trailed 14-4.
  • Kelly Baker entered the game as Wesleyan's pitcher, but WNE would grab another run in the fourth. Evelyn Picone walked, and that brought Emma Ballschmeider home. WNE still trailed 14-5.
Fifth Inning:
  • Kane would let up two singles early in the fifth, but got the next two batters out, and Olivia Lugo threw out a runner stealing second. WNE got out of the fifth unscathed.
  • WNE needed two runs to extend the game another inning. Olivia Lugo doubled to center field and drove Marley Rodriguez home. However, that was their lone run, and the Golden Bears fell in five to Wesleyan 14-6.
Inside the Diamond:
  • Olivia Lugo led the Golden Bears in the loss by going 2/2 with a walk, an RBI, a stolen base, and a double.
  • Five other Golden Bears had a hit in the loss, with Marley Rodriguez hitting the only other extra-base hit, a double.
  • Molly Lennon and Cat Palmer led the Cardinals with a 4/4 and two RBIs performance from Lennon, and a 3/3 and five RBIs performance from Palmer.
Up Next:
  • WNE will take a day off before being back on the diamonds in Clermont, Florida, on Tuesday, March 12, 2026, at 1:30 PM a
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