Amber Zablowsky

UNE, Endicott split a conference doubleheader

Amber Zablowsky came three outs away from a no-hitter versus TCCC champ Endicott

Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Junior Amber Zablowsky (Rochester, Mass.) threw a one-hit shutout as the University of England claimed a 3-0 win over Endicott College in game one of a The Commonwealth Coast Conference doubleheader Sunday afternoon under cold and blustery conditions at Claude Dubois Field.

Endicott junior Jenna Bortolotti (Milton, Mass.) spun a four-hitter in the nightcap as the Gulls recovered for a 2-0 victory to earn a split of the twinbill.

Zablowsky (6-1) took a no-hitter into the seventh before first-year Colleen Martin (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) led off with a clean single through the right side of the infield for the Gulls' lone hit. Zablowsky would retire the next three batters in order to finish off her second shutout in her last three starts. She faced two batters over the minimum while walking two and striking out a pair.

The Nor'easters got on the scoreboard with two runs in the home half of the second. With one out, first-year Erin Grover (Biddeford, Maine) singled to left. She would later score on a two-out double by senior Julie Monteiro (Portsmouth, R.I.). Sophomore Maegen Johnson (Standish, Maine) followed with a double to the center-field fence, scoring Monteiro.

UNE added another run in the fifth when sophomore Marie Mantelli (Thompson, Conn.) stroked a double to center to plate pinch-runner Sabrina Congram (Leominster, Mass.).

Johnson had three hits for the Nor'easters, while Monteiro added a pair.

First-year pitcher Kayla Carignan (Laconia, N.H.) took the loss to drop her record to 6-2. She allowed 12 hits and struck out two.

Bortolotti (1-5) kept the UNE hitters off balance for much of the second game. She issued just one base on balls and whiffed six.

The Gulls got their first run of the afternoon in the top of the fourth. After senior Sarah Spaziano (Norton, Mass.) drew a leadoff walk, junior Hayley Hovhanessian (Farmington, Conn.) dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move Spaziano to second. First-year Krista Fales (Melrose, Mass.) then produced a single to right to score Spaziano.

Endicott would tack on an insurance run the next inning when senior Jenna Lazar (Milton, Mass.) got the frame started with a bunt single. She went to second on a one-out single by senior Merry MacDonald (Braintree, Mass.). Junior Ashley Wright (Merrimack, N.H.) produced an RBI double to left field to make the score 2-0.

Lazar made a stellar defensive play to keep the shutout intact, ranging to her left to make a diving stab of a soft liner by Monteiro with two outs and a runner on second in the home half of the fifth.

MacDonald had two singles to pace Endicott's seven-hit attack in the nightcap. 

Grover was a repeat hitter for the Nor'easters with a single and double. Sophomore pitcher Erin Lyons (Salem, N.H.) took the loss. She walked three and struck out five.

The seven-time reigning TCCC champion Gulls (7-7, 2-2 TCCC) return to action Tuesday when they host Anna Maria College for a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.

UNE (10-4, 5-1) hosts the University of Southern Maine for two games that same afternoon. First pitch is slated for 3:30 p.m.