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Western New England University

The Official Home of Western New England University Athletics
SB 3.9.26
2
Western New Eng. WNEU 3-1
3
Winner Ohio Northern ONU 2-1
Western New Eng. WNEU
3-1
2
Final
3
Ohio Northern ONU
2-1
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Western New Eng. WNEU 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 5 0
Ohio Northern ONU 1 0 0 0 0 2 X 3 6 3

W: Brooklyn Osterloh (1-1) L: Kane, Riley (1-1)

4
Sage RSCSB 1-1
5
Winner Western New Eng. WNE 3-1
Sage RSCSB
1-1
4
Final
5
Western New Eng. WNE
3-1
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Sage RSCSB 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 4 6 2
Western New Eng. WNE 1 0 3 0 0 1 X 5 9 1

W: Heffern, Kaylin (1-0) L: Bailey Catlin (0-1)

Game Recap: Softball |

Salanto, Bailey Lead WNE To Third Win In Two Days

KISSIMMEE, FL. (March 9, 2026) – After a 2-0 start to the 2026 Softball season, the Golden Bears would drop their first game of the season to Ohio Northern University before rebounding with a 5-4 win versus Russell Sage College in the afternoon. A win that saw Nicolina Salanto go 3-4 with three RBIs and Kaylin Heffern get a first-career Golden Bear win.

Game One:
Score:
Western New England: 2
Ohio Northern University: 3

How it Happened:
First Inning:
  • The Golden Bears found success early with two hits in the first, but could not get a run home. That would hurt them as Lillie Marker hit a sacrifice fly ball to score Alexa Ray and give OHU the 1-0 lead.
Second Inning:
  • WNE would get on base once again in the second but could not grab a run. However, Riley Kane would sit all three Polar Bear batters down, collecting two strikeouts in the process.
Third Inning:
  • The third inning was the same story as the second, with the only difference being one strikeout from Kane and not two.
Fifth Inning:
  • After no offense from either team in the fourth inning, Marley Rodriguez would get WNE on the board by hitting into a fielder's choice after a pitching change saw Brooklyn Osterloh enter the game for Sydney Freiberg. That play brought Keira Czarkowski home, and the score was tied 1-1.
  • Riley Kane would sit all three Polar Bear batters down in order once again to end the fifth.
Sixth Inning:
  • Osterloh would settle down and get three Golden Bear batters out before the Polar Bears reclaimed their lead.
  • It happened on one swing. Kylie Pytlak sent the ball over the left field fence, and ONU led 3-1 with Mackenzie Hannahs also scoring on the homerun.
Seventh Inning:
  • The Golden Bears had three outs to find two runs, and they were close. Marley Rodriguez picked up a second RBI with a single up the middle to score Czarkowski again. WNE trailed 3-2 with two outs in the seventh.
  • A designed pickoff play would be the demise for WNE, as they would throw the runner out stealing home on the Rodriguez steal attempt to second. That would end the game with WNE falling 3-2.
Inside the Diamond:
  • WNE fell to ONU 3-2 on Monday morning.
  • Alexa Ray and Kylie Pytlak led the Polar Bears with both having 2-3 performances. Pytlak had two RBIs thanks to the home run.
  • Five Golden Bears had a hit in the 3-2 loss.
  • Marley Rodriguez had both RBIs for WNE.
  • Brooklyn Osterloh earned the win for ONU with a one-hit, no earned runs, and three-strikeout performance.
  • Riley Kane struck out five Polar Bears in the loss.

Game Two:
Score:
Western New England: 5
Russell Sage College: 4

How it Happened:
First Inning:
  • Brianna Cardona set the tone with a one, two, three opening inning, picking up one strikeout.
  • Then, Nicolina Salanto singled to right field to earn WNE their first, first-inning lead of the season. WNE led 1-0 once Marley Rodriguez crossed home.
Second Inning:
  • The Gators would get a runner on base in the second, but would not cross home, and the game was stuck at 0-0 with Bailey Catlin sitting the Golden Bears down in order.
Third Inning:
  • Cardona kept the Gators quiet in the third to set the offense up for a big inning.
  • It started with Salanto singling and bringing Rodriguez home. WNE led 2-0. Then, a sacrifice fly from Cardona brought Olivia Lugo home, and Katelyn Bailey drove Salanto home with a double to right field. WNE led 4-0.
Fourth Inning:
  • The Gators cut the deficit in half with a two-out single from Annie Reilly, which scored Meaghan Finn and Amber Banas. WNE still led 4-2. However, they could not add to the lead in the fourth despite getting a runner on base.
Fifth Inning:
  • The fifth saw the Gators fight back to the point of evening the score. Katie Call drove Annalise Tyler home with a single to left field to make the score 4-3 with two outs. Then, Amber Banas singled and Carmela DeMaio scored to tie the game at 4-4 in the fifth.
  • WNE attempted to answer with Katelyn Bailey hitting another double, but a pitching change stifled the Golden Bear momentum, and Alina Ferguson got out of the jam.
Sixth Inning:
  • With Kaylin Heffern now pitching for WNE, the Gators could not earn their first lead of the game, getting out one, two, three.
  • Then, Nicolina Salanto would get the game-winning hit in the bottom of the sixth with a single. Shea McDaniel scored on the hit, and WNE led 5-4. Heffern would hold the Gators at bay in the seventh and pick up a first-career Golden Bear win.
Inside the Diamond:
  • WNE defeated RSU 5-4 to get their third win in Florida.
  • Nicolina Salanto led WNE with a 3-4 day and three RBIs.
  • Marley Rodriguez and Katelyn Bailey both had two-hit days, with Bailey also picking up an RBI and both extra-base hits for WNE.
  • Amber Banas and Annie Reilly both had two-hit afternoons for the Gators, with them accounting for three of the four Gator runs.
  • Brianna Cardona and Kaylin Heffern totaled seven strikeouts in seven innings of play.
  • Heffern earned a first career collegiate win with the 2.1 innings, one hit, and three strikeout performance.

Up Next on the Schedule:
  • Another doubleheader is next for WNE, as they will go back to Legends Way Ballfields in Clermont, Florida, where they will play Calvin University and Wesleyan University at 2:45 PM and 5:00 PM, respectively.
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