Box Score
Post-Game Interview

NEWPORT, R.I. -- Sixth-seeded University of New England scored a run in the 4th and two more in the 5th before holding off No. 3 Endicott College for a 3-1 victory in the double elimination phase (Game 4 of 13) of the 2015 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Softball Championship on Monday afternoon (Apr. 27) at Toppa Field hosted by Salve Regina University.

The Nor'easters (19-18), who ended a six-game skid to the Gulls (15-18) with the decision, advance to immediately face the No. 2 Seahawks (Game 6, 4:40 p.m.).

Click HERE for the championship bracket.

For the second time in three days, Abby Lambert (CCC 2nd Team) matched her career-high with nine strikeouts to improve her individual mark to 8-7 in the UNE circle. She scattered seven hits and walked two.

After Big Blue put its first two batters on and a line-out double-play negated the threat, Endicott gained the edge in the bottom of the 1st on a two-out double to left-center by Julia McNeill (CCC 2nd Team) that plated Jamie Corda (CCC 1st Team).

UNE pulled even in the 4th, as Amanda Vallante (CCC 1st Team) started with a lead-off single to left, and two outs moved her over to third. When Lambert earned a free pass, she then took a sizeable lead off first and drew a throw from the catcher, and the ensuing rundown allowed Vallante to touch home before the tag was applied.

Mollie Bartles began the Big Blue 5th with a single through the left side, and following a sacrifice, Paige Moore-Haskell put runners at the corners with a bunt single. Cat Ouellette pushed the Nor'easters ahead with a single into shallow left-center, and a throwing error on what would have been the third out made it possible for Moore-Haskell to come in for a 3-1 cushion.

The Gulls had runners at first and second with no outs in the last half of the 5th, but a foul-out, flyout, and strikeout held back EC from chipping away at the deficit.

Endicott's last chance in the 7th saw a pair of one-out singles and a two-out walk to load the bases for McNeill, but a groundout to the shortstop clinched the win for UNE.

Of Big Blue's seven hits, Ouellette and Moore-Haskell each had two.

Three players -- McNeill, Casie Beauchemin, and Chrissy Gikas -- totaled two hits apiece for the Gulls. Courtney Blake (CCC 1st Team) surrendered two earned runs in dropping to 13-4 on the year.

Endicott plays No. 4 Curry College in an elimination contest on Thursday.


Later in the day: UNE 6, Salve Regina 2 (8 innings)


Watch the post-game interview with Adrienne Chase and Abby Lambert