Sarah Hamel did it with her bat Saturday, launching a seventh-inning grand slam to lift UNE to a split
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
(portions of the story courtesy Roger Williams University Sports Information)
BRISTOL, R.I. -- Sarah Hamel '08 (Rochester, N.H.) cracked a one-out grand slam in the top of the seventh to break open a close game, as the University of New England Nor'easters took a 5-0 win over Roger Williams University to earn a split of a The Commonwealth Coast Conference doubleheader Saturday afternoon.
The host Hawks claimed a walk-off win in game one when LeEllen Lewis (Brunswick, Md.) poked an opposite-field single to cap a two-run rally and give Roger Williams a 6-5 win.
Megan Gaedje '09 (Tolland, Conn.) opened the second game of the doubleheader with a two-out home run to left field, giving the Nor'easters an early 1-0 lead.
UNE put the game away in the seventh when it loaded the bases, setting up Hamel's bases-clearing blast.
Jess Silvio '09 (Beverly, Mass.) earned her third win of the year, with Amber Zablowsky '11 (Rochester, Mass.) coming on to work the final three innings to record her second save.
A couple of miscues by the Nor'easters helped give Roger Williams a 2-0 lead in the first inning of game one. Jen Lyford (Raynham, Mass.) scored on a wild pitch and Michelle Caprice (Oak Ridge, N.J.), who reached on a throwing error, came in on a passed ball.
The Nor'easters came right back with three runs in the second, getting RBI hits from Rachel Boutin '09 (Winslow, Maine), Lisa Baillargeon '08 (Berlin, N.H.), and Lauren Webb '10 (Jericho, Vt.).
The Hawks regained the lead in the third inning. Christine Bean (Southampton, Mass.) and Lyford led off the inning with a pair of singles. Lewis would bring home the duo on a two-RBI double. Yet, the advantage would not last long, as Katie Morin '08 (Lewiston, Maine) ripped a two-RBI double to put the UNE back on top by a scant 5-4 margin.
The Nor'easters' lead held up until the bottom of the seventh when Sarah Grill (Watervliet, N.Y.) reached on a mishandled ball at short. Renee Bilotti (Bristol, R.I.), who came in to pinch run, came in on the next at-bat when Bean tripled to right field. The throw from right came in time to get Bilotti, but the ball trickled away from the catcher as Bilotti bowled her over to score the tying run. Lewis came through for the Hawks two batters later, shooting the ball through the right side to score Bilottti from third for the game-winning run.
By virtue of its win in game two, UNE earned an opening-round bye and the No. 4 seed in the upcoming conference tournament. The Nor'easters (22-12, 17-7 TCCC) will head to Endicott College on Tuesday to play the winner of one of Monday's play-in games. Start time Tuesday is tentatively scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
(posted April 26, 2008 | 20:10 ET)
