SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (April 23, 2026) – The Western New England softball team dropped the opener on Thursday afternoon in a home Conference of New England doubleheader with the Bison of Nichols College before Kaylin Heffern tossed a complete game shutout to secure a split, winning game two 6-0. 

Records:

• Western New England: 16-15, 10-4 CNE
• Nichols College: 13-19, 7-9 CNE

How it Happened (Game 1):

First Inning:

• Riley Kane opened the first inning with a pair of strikeouts and a groundout to get the Bison down in order. Western New England's top three in the lineup also went down in order, with neither team able to take advantage of the opening inning. 

Second Inning:

• Kane walked at the plate to begin the second inning and came around to score after being sacrificed over to second on a bunt from Katelyn Bailey, moved to third base on a groundout by Angelees Carrasquillo, and scored on an RBI single from Nicolina Salanto, giving the Golden Bears a 1-0 lead after two innings. 

Fourth Inning:

• The Bison threatened in the top of the fourth inning as Bailey Littlefield walked and advanced on a passed ball, while Ava Salvinsky and Michaela Fortier both singled with one out to load the bases full of Bison. Kane settled in and got a popout and flyout to end the inning untouched, keeping the bases loaded. 
• Evelyn Picone opened the inning with a single to right field, followed by a single by Katelyn Bailey with one out. Both runners moved to second and third with two outs after a sacrifice bunt from Carrasquillo, but Salanto hit a frozen rope on a line to the Nichols centerfielder to end the inning, keeping the runners where they were. 

Fifth Inning:

• Nichols picked up its first run in the frame after Sydney Hicks singled, stole a bag, and scored on a Bailey Littlefield RBI single with two outs in the inning to even the score at one. 

Sixth Inning:

• The Bison threatened for more in the top of the sixth, getting a two-out rally when pinch runner Emily Iannuccilli scored on an RBI double from Sydney Manzione, giving the Bison the 2-1 lead, their first lead of the game. 
• Katherine Brooks took a four-pitch walk to begin the bottom of the sixth but was erased on the base paths on a caught stealing. Evelyn Picone then reached on an infield error, but the Golden Bears couldn't get a runner past second base, leaving two aboard in the inning. 

Seventh Inning:

• Riley Kane set down the Bison quickly, but didn't get any offense in the bottom of the inning to back up an impressive outing, as the Golden Bears fell by a final score of 2-1 in the opening game of the afternoon.

Inside the Lines;

• WNE had just three hits in the game, one from Katelyn Bailey, one from Nicolina Salanto, and another from Evelyn Picone. 
• Riley Kane tossed a complete game, giving up seven hits and two runs, walking three and striking out eight. 
• Nichols' Molly Medor also went the distance, giving up three hits and a run, walking three, and striking out seven. Medor picked up just her fifth win of the season in the circle this season.

How it Happened (Game 2):

• Kaylin Heffern made just her second career collegiate start, and opened it with a pair of strikeouts and ended up with a 1-2-3 inning after Bailey Littlefield singled for Nichols but was caught stealing to end the inning. 
• After little offense in game one, the Golden Bears opened up the game with three quick base runners when Marley Rodriguez singled, Olivia Lugo reached on a throwing error, and Payton McDaniel reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases with no outs. The Golden Bears quickly bounced out into two outs at the plate on fielder's choices, as it looked like Nichols' starting pitcher Olivia Pedro was going to get out of the inning unscathed, but a wild pitch with the bases loaded put a runner to the plate, giving the Golden Bears a 1-0 lead after one inning. 

Second Inning:

• Heffern escaped a jam in the top of the second inning after back-to-back errors with one out nearly cost the Golden Bears its lead, but Heffern saw Nichols make an error on the base paths as a runner left early to cause an out, while a strikeout ended the inning to keep the Bison from scoring. 

Fifth Inning:

• Ava Barnhart led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a double to center field, starting a rally that saw WNE score five runs on six hits to take a commanding lead. Marley Rodriguez had one of those six hits, singling back up the middle, while Olivia Lugo singled to right field to give WNE a 2-0 lead. Riley Kane and Katelyn Bailey both picked up RBI hits to extend WNE's lead to four, while a two-RBI single to end the inning from Angelees Carrasquillo saw the Golden Bears lead 6-0 after the frame. 

Seventh Inning:

• Down six and needing a dramatic comeback, the Bison got a single from both Michaela Fortier and Sydney Manzione, while Alyssa Pericello walked to load the bases for the Bison with one out, but a strikeout and a flyout preserving the shutout for Heffern and the Golden Bears to come away with a 6-0 victory. 

Inside the Lines:

• Marley Rodriguez led the WNE offense with three hits in four at-bats, scoring a run. 
• Olivia Lugo, Riley Kane, Katelyn Bailey, and Angelees Carrasquillo all had RBIs in the fifth inning to break the game open. 
• Kaylin Heffern dazzled in the circle, tossing a complete game shutout, giving up just four hits and three walks, striking out seven for her third win of the season. 
• Heffern has tossed 10.1 innings of scoreless ball over the last two games, picking up nine strikeouts. 

Up Next on the Schedule:

• The Golden Bears head into the weekend with four Conference of New England games ahead, heading to Endicott College (April 25)  before hosting senior day against Johnson & Wales University (April 26).